‘Soldier in fight against cancer!’ – A poem by Dr Suboohi Jafar “Aatika”

The Indian Association of Palliative Care celebrated this year’s World Poetry Day by publishing ‘A symphony of Words: A collection of poems‘ penned by our very own friends from the palliative care community. We continue to share a poem, each week, for our friends to enjoy!

The poem for this week, Poem #18 of 25..

‘Soldier in fight against cancer!’ – A poem by Dr Suboohi Jafar “Aatika”, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh

I feel like walking into a war zone,
Wearing a white coat, and my stethoscope on,
Then I hear cries of pain, those moans and groans,
And there, I witness a non-healing, oozing wound!

I can feel your disgust about that putrid sore,
That’s there on your foot, not ready to cure,
You are annoyed of that pungent smell of disinfectant,
Which I pour daily on your wound, to make it look clean and perfect!

When you look at me, with your sunken eyes,
I feel more shattered, aggrieved and helpless at that time,
But I always listen to your whispers with full attention,
Though I may not be able to cure your affliction!

I always try to tell you about all the positive probabilities,
And make myself sound as full of realistic hopes and possibilities,
But deep inside, both of us know the final outcome,
That, this time, you won’t be able to go back home!

But the white coat that I am wearing,
Gives me the courage to assure you of well being,
I am really here, with you, and by you, in this battle field,
With the trust on God, that we will make it till the end!