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.
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.
Life Flight
Love the change! Shows how powerful just one edit can be. So good!!!
I love this piece.
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!
I like this departure from your usual topic
So poignant and succinct and powerful all at once. Beautiful piece.
Compact and impactful. What a tight little piece. Well done.
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.
That is powerful poetry.
You have an exceptional ability to pack so much in so few words.
Comforting that we can count on strangers.
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.
What a wonderful perspective to have. Thanks for sharing it with us, Sherman!
Thanks Sherman. The reason I love this one is that I've been on that Seattle-bound helicopter twice.
Beautiful and on target as usual
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 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...