The author had this to say about the poem: “I have X-rayed thousands of people over thirty years, but this one still come backs to me. It’s the story I tell when people ask me for ‘hospital stories,’ so it’s no surprise that I eventually wrote the story in a poem. I can still so vividly see him and me alone in that cold room.”
” Content warning : Gun violence, some graphic descriptions of bodily harm
This is a short poem written from the perspective of the author as a X-ray technologist. It describes one particular experience he had caring for a man with a gunshot wound who dies during the treatment and the poem. Provides an opportunity to talk about death and the impact experiencing death may have on healthcare providers. The brevity and personal quality of this piece leaves room for students to interpret and discuss their own thoughts and reactions.
There is a complex story in a brief poem, with lots to unpack, accessible to all audiences.
Access
- Link: https://pulsevoices.org/poems/he-was-not-the-first-dead-man-i-x-rayed
Details
Language: English
Setting (class level or workshop): Community, Graduate, Professional, and Undergraduate
Type of Story: Poem
Medium: written
Contributed by: Health Story Hub
Citation:
Cushman, Steve. “He Was Not the First Dead Man I X-Rayed.” Pulse Voices, 14 July 2023, https://pulsevoices.org/poems/he-was-not-the-first-dead-man-i-x-rayed.