‘The PalliWarriors’ – A poem by Dr Seema Rao

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 #16 of 25..

‘The PalliWarriors’ – A poem by Dr Seema Rao, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Amidst the throes of pain and suffering
When hope seems long gone
The PalliWarriors come riding in
Offering comfort to depend on.

They hum a soothing refrain
Offering solace, a voice of calm
That alleviates the unending pain
For those caught in life’s final storm.

Their gentle words and soothing touch
And compassionate hearts that feel
Often does so very much
To soothe, comfort and heal.

Their tender smile and listening ear
Strive to understand
The struggles, uncertainties, and fears
Of those nearing life’s end.

Managing Opiophobia and Palliphobia
The PalliWarriors rage on
Creating for the dying, a utopia
Where comfort and dignity reign on.

About the poet:

Dr Seema R Rao is an Associate Director (Education & Research) at the Karunashraya Institute for Palliative Care Education and Research (KIPCER), Bangalore Hospice Trust – Karunashraya. She is also a Honorary Tutor, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.

To read poems from the entire collection, please click here.