shovel and scope

by Anita Kottapalli

Image source: Pixabay

He holds the pink of your palms, 

creases privy to procedure,

like the pink handlebars 

of my first bike ride 

long enough to hear the fragile 

fear leave us in one exhale, cold

touch of stethoscope

against your abdomen he palpates 

with a productive gentleness 

I can pinpoint to a princess 

nightdress and chief complaint of 

“tummy ache”

his hands move the air 

in front of us to explain 

better than words 

the turns 

of my homework 

and 

of your large intestine 

as if it was a music note in the air—

a chime in his vegetable garden. 

He places his hand on 

one shoulder 

to help you up easy after 

careful quadrant listens and for 

my warmth against the winds

we face as he teaches me to plant 

cucumber seeds 

he washes his hands thoroughly 

then once more under water 

running in the backyard, 

with a step into some gloves

he looks for polyps 

in the garden

weeds in you

shovel and scope

healing us both.

Image source: Unsplash

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Anita Kottapalli is a third-year medical student at the UTCOMLS.

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