A Surgeon's Sonnet And A Response Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

By Surgeon Dr.Wai Pui Ng

Too soon the curtain of this stage will rise
Well trained am I and in this role well versed
In readiness again I don my guise
Yet fear and trembling parch my throat with thirst

My face assumes a self assured masque
The company does not suspect I feign
I force myself to focus on the task
I must find strength to play my part again.

In spite of every effort tried last night
That blackest of all curtains dark did fall
Today we must continue in the fight
Returning to the spotlights of the hall.

One last attempt to calm my trembling heart
Then off I go to play my fateful part.

My Response:

Dear doctor, do not let Queen Sadness rule,
you did preside and lent your well-honed skills.
The God who guarded you while still in school
is also master of the people's ills.

You are a friend, I know it from your words,
you did not walk away without a glance.
And I suspect that two small hummingbirds
disguised as tears fell to your chest to dance.

Without compassion man is just a fool
who loves the emptiness inside stale air
and uses all his talents like a mule;
a great conformist but without a care.

Yes you must go and carry still your torch
and let it burn so brightly as to light,
when during leisure you rest on your porch
your strength renews for any future fight.

If, for some time you feel an aching heart
it will renew the fibres of your soul,
rejoice my friend, this science is an art
it is immersion that will make you whole.