In this poem, McKenzy Wall ’22 delves into a moment in the operating room, where stakes and tensions are high.
Enter
Gloves and gown on, mask fastened.
The room is cool, lights bright
almost like a spotlight.
All is quiet lest the
Huummmmmmmm
Of the machinery and the
Shuffle shuffle
Of feet on clean tile.
The patient lays flat on the table
Asleep, the world unknown to her.
Lock eyes with your colleague —
Worrisome flicker in his gaze.
This surgery will not be routine.
Run through every step:
Images projected in your mind
Like a screenplay.
Deep Breath.
Innnnnnnnnn…
Then
Outttttttttt…
It’s time.
“Scalpel, please.”
Narravitas 