The Hospital: A Poem

The Hospital

A building, a structure

A haven for the unwell

Where life & death are prevalent

A place so many dwell

Its outside frame seems somewhat dull

But inside; it’s quite a mix

The people there are what really matter

Without, it would be nix

Some enter it with confidence

Others with high hopes

Some come in with scared eyed looks

Others, unable to cope

Hearing the sad news of a loved one

An accident, disease, or scare

That led them to this place

It all seems like a night mare

The people here are universal

Races mixed and matched

People come in all shapes and sizes

From age 100 to just being hatched

The environment is distinctive

Some areas silenced with peace

The ER is certainly not one of them

Where most are barely at ease

The outwear is unique as well

For those who choose to stay

They wear scrubs, white coats, suits & stethoscopes

The patients wear what they may

It’s ironic that this building

Can hold so many mixed emotions

If only doctors could cure all

With some magic potion

This is a place for the dying

It’s a place for the bereaved

A place of caring, loving hearts

And hope for the well to soon leave

This place is called, a hospital

Those who enter it should know

That its worth all the pain and strife

If you leave from it and grow

-Tricia Lawrenson

{I wrote this several years ago, after living a good portion of my life behind closed doors in The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and at Duke University Medical Center. Not only can a parent and patient of a chronic illness like cystic fibrosis can relate to this poem. But so many more lives who have been dramatically changed when walking through those doors.}