A poem by Rafael Campo

A poem by Rafael Campo, prompted by the coronavirus pandemic

Return to main article:

During the past several weeks, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe and into Boston, poet and physician Rafael Campo has been writing poems to help make sense of the crisis. Below is a draft of one still in process, but which he agreed to share. 

 

THE DOCTOR’S SONG

 

 The ventilator’s rise and fall.
The ambulance’s siren call.
The yellow gown’s swish down the hall. 


They page us and we go. The wail
of loved ones.  Silence then, until
the next alarm, a pulsatile 


bleat almost like an infant’s cry.
A team in baggy scrubs runs by.
The coughing like a symphony


a virus might conduct.  We listen,
as if the breath sounds might not lessen.
As if the body we are given 


protected us.  The stethoscope 
won’t be an instrument of hope:
It merely amplifies the gallop,

 

makes audible the broken heart.
The doctor’s song is not heroic.
Sing like the needle.  Sing like hurt.

 —Rafael Campo

 

Related topics

You might also like

What Happens When Infections Stop Responding to Antibiotics?

Harvard Medical School experts discuss the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.

New England Monkfish with Lemon, Garlic, and Capers

A delicious, healthy, and seasonal dish—enjoy with whole grains or seasonal vegetables.

Harvard Panel Debunks the Population Implosion Myth

Public health professors parse the evidence surrounding falling U.S. birth rates.

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts's Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.

A Flu Vaccine That Actually Works

Next-gen vaccines delivered directly to the site of infection are far more effective than existing shots.

Explore More From Current Issue

Map showing Uralic populations in Eurasia, highlighting regional distribution and historical sites.

The Origins of Europe’s Most Mysterious Languages

A small group of Siberian hunter-gatherers changed the way millions of Europeans speak today.

A man in a gray suit sits confidently in a vintage armchair, holding a glass.

The Life of a Harvard Spy

Richard Skeffington Welch’s illustrious—and clandestine—career in the CIA

A lively concert in a modern auditorium with an audience seated on multiple levels.

Concerts and Carols at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Tuning into one of Boston's best chamber music halls