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 #6 of 25..
‘Will you care to be my pal?’ by Dr. Eric Borges, Mumbai, India.
Will you walk this lonely road with me
As I struggle to face my destiny?
Can I hope you will come to my locale
Will you care to be my pal?
My body ravaged, my lungs all battered
The Corona Virus left me shattered
Gasping for breath as I say to my gal
“Will you care to be my pal?”
I try to speak but make guttural sounds
Keeping quiet frustrates and confounds
I thrash about —a wild sick horse in a corral
Will you care to be my pal?
I forget who I am, where I need to go,
I often get lost trying to go next door
I don’t want to become a chaparral
Will you care to be my pal?
My face and feet are swollen and I pee so little
They say my bones are so very brittle
Dialysis twice a week keeps up my morale
Will you care to be my pal?
Sukoon Nilaya this oasis of tranquility
Has been carefully infused with every facility
Compassionate care our guiding rationale,
Yes, we would love to be your pal!
About the poet:
Dr Eric Borges is a Hon. Chairman at the King George V Memorial Trust, Mumbai. Dr Eric Borges is also a strong advocate for palliative care.
To read poems from the entire collection, please click here.
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