A mantra recitation of Sangye Menla - Medicine Buddha - puts a seal of protection around pilot, passenger, others soon to be involved. My ritual whenever I hear or see ambulances - seems like the least I can offer up.
“My free verse isn’t completely free.” Such an eloquent and succinct way to state what the difference is between “free verse” poetry and prose with funny formatting!
Reading your poignant poem on the Seine as our longship ascends in a lock on our way from Rouen to Les Andelys. To see the place of Richard the Lionhearted. And I too have been an ambulance and so grateful for the care given and about to be given.
Sep 16, 2023·edited Sep 16, 2023Liked by Sherman Alexie
Life Flight took Brittany from Moscow to Spokane so that Wesley could be born into the best possible hands. For two months I heard that same percussion every six hours and prayed for the folks joining us.
Love the poem and the audio! 👋 For all the reasons people are hearing the emphasis on “interruption,” I’d guess the word you moved was “this,” up a line. It seems prosy and natural for “this” to start life next to “interruption,” and it heightens everything between the stanzas to move that word.
Love the change! Shows how powerful just one edit can be. So good!!!
Thanks, Marcos!
I love this piece.
Thank you, Rachel.
A mantra recitation of Sangye Menla - Medicine Buddha - puts a seal of protection around pilot, passenger, others soon to be involved. My ritual whenever I hear or see ambulances - seems like the least I can offer up.
“My free verse isn’t completely free.” Such an eloquent and succinct way to state what the difference is between “free verse” poetry and prose with funny formatting!
Thanks, Brian!
I like this departure from your usual topic
Thank you.
So poignant and succinct and powerful all at once. Beautiful piece.
Thank you.
Compact and impactful. What a tight little piece. Well done.
Thank you.
Reading your poignant poem on the Seine as our longship ascends in a lock on our way from Rouen to Les Andelys. To see the place of Richard the Lionhearted. And I too have been an ambulance and so grateful for the care given and about to be given.
Wow, wjat a place to be read! Thank you.
That is powerful poetry.
You have an exceptional ability to pack so much in so few words.
Thank you, Arjan.
Comforting that we can count on strangers.
Yes, it is.
Life Flight took Brittany from Moscow to Spokane so that Wesley could be born into the best possible hands. For two months I heard that same percussion every six hours and prayed for the folks joining us.
Yes, yes, Dan. Prayers and gratitude all around.
What a wonderful perspective to have. Thanks for sharing it with us, Sherman!
Thanks, Justin.
Thanks Sherman. The reason I love this one is that I've been on that Seattle-bound helicopter twice.
I'm happy you're here to tell the tales!
Beautiful and on target as usual
Thank you, Becky.
Love the poem and the audio! 👋 For all the reasons people are hearing the emphasis on “interruption,” I’d guess the word you moved was “this,” up a line. It seems prosy and natural for “this” to start life next to “interruption,” and it heightens everything between the stanzas to move that word.
I had always separated "this" and "interruption." But I moved "Interruption" across the stanza break. Thanks!
👍🏼 This game was inordinately fun!
I was once med-evacuated off of Nantucket
I went to the local ER at 9am, my left foot felt like a brick
I had an oclusion in my left poplitial artery
the weather was poor, no helicopter
a fixed wing prop plane to south of Boston
then an ambulance to MA general...
seven practitioners were waiting
I was on the op table by 4 pm...
I got a stent, I'm OK
I got privileged care...
Damn! On a evac plane! I'm happy you're here!