Breast
cancer of the breast, meta-
static ca. of
axillary lymph nodes. Butchard,
Maude died 3-29-48 photo X-
ray of lumbar
spine and pelvis, chest
photograph when
granuloma is cleared up return
later
return in three months
return in three
months return
later
return
in one week X-ray
therapy to
left axilla and left neck X-ray therapy return
in four months
X-ray stomach
and also axilla
return in two
weeks return in one
week failed
appt.
Now this is remarkable, Vassilis. I have no idea if it's really "found," but it feels found, and because of that context packs a hell of a wallop—more than it would if you slapped a postmodish wink-wink nudge-nudge title on it to exploit somebody's idea of cleverness. This feels raw and real and rather amazing....
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joe for the above.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, this actually is a "found" poem--I found this patient card in one of the file boxes while visiting a friend who was working in the hospital library at that time, quickly jotted it all down and at some later date (I can't remember when but at least more than twenty years ago), I looked at my notes, pulled out my trusty Remington portable and arranged it on the page as I saw fit without changing or adding anything, not even the patient's name.
Still unpublished by the way even though over the years I must have sent it out to quite a few mags that "found" it lacking in whatever the editors were looking for.