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Where Do All The Young Ones Go To?

Written by John Graham-Pole on .
I just released this new CD of my poems. They pay homage to children I cared for over forty years as a children’s oncologist and hospice doctor. The poems are accompanied by original music by Cathy DeWitt, who has been a musician-in-residence in Arts in Medicine (www.artsinmedicine.ufhealth.org) almost since I helped found it in 1990 at Shands Hospital, University of Florida.

Where Do All The Young Ones Go To?
Poetry written and performed by John Graham-Pole
Music composed and performed by Cathy DeWitt

Here’s a short sample -a requiem to a patient who was on a ventilator, and who asked me, “Please don’t leave me.” I stayed beside her for thirty-six hours until she died.

I lean in among the plastic tubes besetting you,
my breath voluntary, yours urged.
Our cells mingle each with the other’s, spilling in a spindrift
of air-water-ice between mouths.
You, going, dying, take my life to rest;
I living, left, draw in your seed.

The CD is available from HARP (www.harppublishing.ca) for $15 CDN, or from John (john.gp@live.com) or Cathy (cathydew@gmail.com)

HARP Publishing, The People’s Press (www.harppublishing.ca) is a multimedia publishing house focused on the healing arts and arts for health equity. It offers print and electronic media both to those who give and to those who receive care.