The Body Remembers

I’ve been through something
that I thought would never end;
then I walked again.

Notes from the interview that inspired this poem:

This woman was deeply grateful for a meaningful career that had enabled her to make a difference as both a medical provider and educator. She wanted the poem to remind her of the meaning of her work when things got tough, and of her bravery and strength. She had been struggling with the impacts of COVID-19 and with witnessing how racism and systemic inequity was impacting the country and the people she served. She was no stranger to adversity. For six years, she’d had a medical condition that left her unable to walk and in constant pain. She had accepted she’d never walk again. Then, after receiving a different diagnosis and treatment, she’d regained her ability to walk again and function without pain. “When things feel hard now, I try to remind myself where I’ve been before. I found a way to make it then, so I know I can find a way to make it now,” she said.

Interviewee: Anonymous, Physician
Listener Poet: Jenny Hegland