We found the old barn on the lot
A project-
Something on our bucket list
Like that train trip through the Rockies
Sweat and sawdust
And the sunlight through the dusty windows
Fractals splattered erratically
Across intentional smiles
Its movements unpredictable
My choreiform movements unwind
Independently
Like a toy soldier
A train left the station
Like the degradation of this house before we found it
The disease process is the sand flowing through an hour glass
Grain by grain passing us by
We sweep, level and refinish the old floors of time
Technology. The conductor now tweaking and adjusting the battery in my brain
Can a clock be set back?
Rewiring each panel so the conductivity is intact?
Commands sent efficiently
Like the fluid motion of my right hook
They said we’ve found the optimal stimulation now
Single pointed focus
Or
The courage to fight not flee
Acceptance
Like when we had to leave the old barn
For something more accessible
But the train ride through the Canadian Rockies is still waiting
Medical Clearance for Boxing Lessons
This piece was inspired by a patient I saw while on my first rotation in family medicine. The patient had Parkinsons and had spent the past few months undergoing painful and exhausting DBS adjustments; her movements were uncontrollable in the session until she focused and calmed, telling me the reason for her visit- medical clearance for returning to boxing lessons. Her courage to undergo experimental treatments and embrace her ability to move and fight despite the severity of her disease were inspiring to me, she told me more details of her story which are woven into this work.
Bio:
Rivka Manzura is a second year medical student at the University of Michigan. A lover of rhythm and the written word, Rivka has turned to poetry as a means of expression and catharsis since her youth. While she is passionate about the science of medicine, the opportunity to see, be inspired and play a role the unique stories of the humans she encounters in clinic is what keeps her poet's soul alive.