Histories

Andrew Steinmetz
From:   Histories. Véhicule Press, Signal Editions, 2000.

I.

elderly male smoker

lives alone
on
his x-ray

needs company

no
heroics

forget radiation

he's
done


II.

ninety-one year old
German speaking
lady brought in

sudden onset
of knife-jabbing
pain radiating

from left side into the armpit

no fever no cough

widow
lives
at
a
home

children lost
in Stalingrad

reports similar
symptoms
seventy years ago
in Berlin
on her wedding night

otherwise healthy


III.

brain tumour lady
known
to this hospital

and followed
by one
of our cancer guys

was found by
the gates
of Club
Price
post seizure

on
exam
nothing too exciting

some minor
savings

abrasions
cuts
and bruises

must have gone down
suddenly
and caught her foot

demolished the left ankle

some pulled
ligaments

           otherwise
as I said


a brain tumour

IV.

I have a young healthy man here
a lawyer
found
by his secretary

no witnesses no evidence
of substance abuse

question mark vertigo
seizures null

very high strung
wants to go home

bla bla bla

on physical
left eye floats

refuses scan

wishes to have clinic appointment

secretary

            to escort him

out of this world

Poem 1 | Poem 2 | Poem 3 | Poem 4

Andrew Steinmetz's works copyright © to the author.