Doctors in the ER--a poem--

Burmese language lesson--

sayar wun twe ka ei thi lo be
pyaw like hma hpyint
lair thay like bo bair kaun te.

Doctors are just like that
the things they say
it's almost as if
why don't you all fall down and die.

Don't worry about your husband's heart condition
you will probably die first. Well, of course, if I am in a car accident.

At the scholarship board health exam:
Do you trust your husband leaving him alone so long.

They say these things these medical doctors
as if they are God
then they die first.

A US doctor not Burmese, in ER
when I had a fever of 104 and PID
before an anal exam
you will feel exquisite pain

my foot
I would have sued you
could have sued you if I was not so sick.

I only liked the ER doctor who flushed out a gash on my forehead

from a cut from a dusty taxi door

when I was going to the Pew Foundation to submit
my book length poem She Monkey goes West--which became

a Pew Finalist script.

Blood was pouring from my forehead, so

I had to go out on street, take another taxi to Jefferson Hospital ER

Dr. saw me immediately, cut not deep
but bled a lot
summer I think
not wearing a coat.

Flushed cut out with small nozzle and pipe with warm water
sewed shut.

I learned how you make knots when
sewing flesh.

Not the same as sewing cloth.

Paid with check later for ER, $68 I think about 1994.

My friend took the stitches out later.

Her son then about 20? swept my hair
off my forehead took a judicious look

said It's not too bad.

No, it goes parallel with my wrinkles
so
it just looks

like an additional wrinkle.

KMKaung
11-4-2014