Will Be Free

Here is a poem I wrote about a patient I encountered while on my Internal Medicine rotation:

Will Be Free

William whose big eyes see the sky
Looked for beauty low and high
Growing up in Mary’s land
He searched, was found by heroin

Thus began the tale of ‘prisonment
The lady lured him with her scent
And made him come to her sweet call
But William flew above it all

The fangs dug deep and drew his blood
The poisonous venom with humors entered
And as he opened wings to soar
A virus chained him down once more

William broke the chains and fled
And breathed fresh air and tasted bread
But then the law caught up with him
And placed him back in bonds again

He thought a lot within his pen
Two months and he’d be free again
And hopes once more took root and grew
But illness knocked him down anew

In guarded room in the E.D.
I met him, did my H & P
As those big eyes looked up at me
I saw him yearning to be free

On the wards he lay there sick
Seemed unfazed by his poor luck
Stoicly he bore the weight
But worsening illness was his fate

The blood flowed free like he could not
Into his brain it formed a clot
Though shackles were no longer there
He could not move, could only stare

Before the dawn I rap the door
Find him staring as before
His eyes move when I call his name
Please blink if you’re in any pain

After great deliberation
We have switched to palliation
William we have done our best
Now it's time for you to rest

Dear William as you look at me
I know you that you will soon be free
Free from the ills and free from prison
Upon god's grace you’ll fly to heaven