13 December 2011

A Time I Had Magic



A Time I Had Magic

I saved a life once.
On a Nebraska Reservation
a baby was born
blue, silent.

The doctor, a stranger
to these people,
instructed: "Leave him,
he'll die."

His mother cried,
refused to hold him,
begged: "Take him
away."

I was his nurse.
I focused on him,
massaged his feet,
stroked his chest.

Life loitered,
crept in slowly,
he breathed,
    he moved,
        turned pink.

Connected to life,
I fed it to him
     like milk.
It was that kind of magic.


This is for dVerse Poets Open Link Night hosted today by Claudia. She has some wonderful things to say about falling in love with poetry and she's a great example of really fine writing.

19 comments:

  1. Wow. Very powerful. An experience like that must really stay with you.

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  2. What a moving experience you have recounted here. It touched me greatly.

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  3. Gasp! Do you know who this person is? The one you breathed life into? What a story!

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  4. wow...true story? yes i would say that is a bit of magic...and imagine what that life is doing today...

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  5. You made my day. You are a life-giving person in many ways.

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  6. its a beautiful poem of yours.

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  7. That's a wonderful memory. i know you cherish it. I'm not at all surprised that your loving touch brought life back to that baby.

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  8. To be the source of Life. Wonder and awe, gratitude, mystery, gratification, hope restored. Just wonderful.

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  9. This story has the wonder of Christmas about it: the Breathe of God and the Touch of Life. Beautiful.

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  10. Excellent clean and clear narrative poem, also strong with an understated emotion. Thanks for sharing this powerful image of life with us.

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  11. dang, this is magical! A beautiful miracle told in a loving and gentle way. a joy to read. thanks.

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  12. Nancy, It does as this poem shows.

    Mary, Then I'm glad you stopped by.

    DJan, I do know him. I was his baby sitter for his first months. I carry his name in my heart and pray for him.

    Brian, True story. I've moved and lost touch of him now but he's in my heart. I feel like his mother in some true sense.

    Sally, What a sweet thing to say. Thank you.

    Sunny, Grazie.

    Patti, You're right, I cherish it. Thank you for your kind comment.

    Ruth, All of that. And we all have that ability.

    June, Didn't the Great Teachers say we could do that and more? At some point, we have to put that into belief/practice.

    TB, I hadn't thought about it that way. WE do that for each other.

    hedgewitch, Thanks. It was one of the high points of my life. I tried to stay with the simple description of just what happened.

    Shella, You're welcome, I'm grateful for you coming by.

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  13. This is, indeed, magic. Although most of my nursing career was spent guiding people into whatever is after this life, I share the thrill of the moment. I've also saved lives, though not of a baby. But I feel like I want to know "the rest of the story." Victoria

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  14. I love the poem and the story behind it! A true miracle!

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  15. Magic. How exciting to be a giver of life for one others gave up on!

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  16. l2w, The story is a long complicated story rife with family tragedy on the reservation. But that little boy was strong and healthy by the time I moved away. We have such great roles as nurses!

    Kathy, Thanks and glad you come by. Happy Holidays!

    Rubye, It was during the night and I was the only nurse in that dept.

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  17. A poem of sheer magic - wonderful and well done on both counts.

    Anna :o]

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