Renewal Of Licence Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

I was laid on a stretcher
and carried to the ICU.
An injection made my eyes open
but I doubted my stay in this world.

I saw the curve of my heart- beat
going horizontal bereft of rise and fall.
The cordialogist's words I heard:
'He's at the brink of third last circle.
A little jump will make him worse.
Put him with a mask of Oxygen '.

I was decked up with the mask
and asked to breathe in and out.
A voiceless nasal breath I inhaled
with the sounds of 'Jasmine'
and exhaled 'Jasmina' by mouth.
This lovely torture lasted three hours.

My whole stomach was free
with life gas penetrating all the vitals
and melting away the sputum
that had my heart, lungs and limbs
in a tight grip. Urine shed off often.
My pulse rate was up and the doctors
were in smiles. My close friend, God,
murmured in my ears: Sleep well.
Your licence to be on the earth,
is renewed.' I smiled and slept.