Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Report from the Hospital" by Wis?awa Szymborska is a poignant reflection on the complex emotions that surround visiting a dying person. The poem is steeped in awkwardness and the existential dilemmas that arise when confronting mortality, both someone else's and our own. This uncomfortable visit, encapsulated in stark and unembellished language, reveals the existential anxieties inherent in the human condition.

The poem begins with the speaker losing a matchstick draw, a simple game of chance that designates her as the one who must visit the dying person. Immediately, the tone is one of reluctance, framing the visit as a burden rather than a compassionate act. The simplicity of the game also speaks to the arbitrary nature of life and death, setting the stage for the intense discomfort that follows.

Upon entering the hospital room, the speaker encounters an unresponsive patient who "pulled [his hand] back like a hungry dog that won't give up his bone." This simile paints a vivid picture of someone clinging to the last shreds of life, dignity, or perhaps even the solitude of his final moments. The reluctance to engage is mutual, emphasizing the vulnerability and fear in the room. The dying man is "embarrassed about dying," unable to meet the visitor's eyes, a detail that conjures the image of a "faked photograph," one lacking in genuine emotion or connection.

The speaker grapples with what to say, finding that traditional small talk is grossly inadequate in the face of mortality. The phrases "What do you say to someone like that?" and "Who's dying on whom?" encapsulate the existential confusion that comes when trying to navigate the social protocols of such a heavy situation. It's as if both the dying man and the visitor are navigating uncharted territory, each unsure of their role in this poignant drama.

Furthermore, the speaker notes the man's indifference to her presence and his lack of interest in the others who had been at the table, designated by simple names-Barry, Larry, Harry-as if to underscore the universality of the situation. Nobody wants to be in this position, and yet it is a circumstance nearly everyone will face at some point.

The poem concludes with the speaker feeling physically ill from the experience, with a head that "started aching" and a sickening hospital smell that lingers. The visit has affected her deeply, raising questions about mortality, compassion, and the awkward spaces that sometimes exist between the living and the dying. In evading easy sentimentality and avoiding platitudes, Szymborska exposes the raw discomfort of these moments, forcing the reader to confront the uncomfortable aspects of human mortality. "Report from the Hospital" thus serves as a brutally honest commentary on the emotional and psychological toll that such experiences can take, both on the dying and on those left grappling with the impending loss.

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