Classic and Contemporary Poetry
NANCY TALKING TO THE NURSE, by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS Poet's Biography First Line: Four times the surgeons, military-firm Last Line: "why, nancy, I have heard you all along!" Subject(s): Surgery | ||||||||
Four times the surgeons, military-firm And fateful-grim, have sternly summoned me, Have haled me, prone and shrinking, to that room, The white, mysterious, oppressive cell, -- The lethal home of Ether merciful. There Nancy waits, and kisses trembling-dear, And says good-by. And then the cone is pressed, And I breathe deeply, cough and breathe again Industrious. I hear the nurses move, And one is bantering an orderly, While from the operating-room beyond Come voices of the surgeons manly loud; And still I draw the choking ether in, Breathe, breathe the unnatural air, persistent breathe, When sudden comes a chasm, -- and I sink. Then instantly I catch my falling soul, And snatch a square of light, and subtly feel A bed beneath me stretching clean and smooth, While, just beyond the thinnest veil of sense, I hear dear Nancy talking to the nurse, -- Sweet homely talk about her sewing work, Then about me, and what the surgeons said, And how I shall be well, oh, very soon. So there I lie, and hug me to myself, Hearing the pleasant talk, and comforted To know the thing is over, and well done. I chuckle inwardly, and at a turn Where it fits in, I join the talk myself, And say, "Why, I have heard you all along!" So, if the wise Director shall ordain That Nancy go before me to our Home, To help prepare the Home, as women do; Then I in turn, the Operation o'er, Will lie, God grant! upon some heavenly couch, And hear dear Nancy talking to the Nurse About some household matter, may it be, Some sweet home topic of the other world, Perhaps of me, and how soon I shall wake. Then will I lie and hug me to myself, And listen happily a little while, Knowing the thing is over once for all, And I am well, and well for evermore. Then will I watch my chance and join their talk At some fine opening, and, laughing, say, "Why, Nancy, I have heard you all along!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FOR H. V. (1901-1927) by WELDON KEES OUTSIDE THE OPERATING ROOM OF THE SEX-CHANGE DOCTOR by SHARON OLDS SONG FOR MY LOVER: 11. A MEDICAL STUDENT LEARNS LOVE AND DEA by RAFAEL CAMPO SONG FOR MY LOVER: 13. TOWARDS CURING AIDS by RAFAEL CAMPO AN AMERICAN BEAUTY; FOR ANN LONDON by CAROLYN KIZER SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: PAULINE BARRETT by EDGAR LEE MASTERS A BATTLE SONG (WRITTEN IN THE WORLD WAR) by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS |
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