sirens tear open this day
softpillowed dreams crumpled
pinned by each imagined shriek
flying up from blood soaked gurneys
remembering that we are seconds away from a 180
recalling acute pain and trauma shocked eyerolls
focusing on the ambulance ceiling
not quite able to disassociate
tethered by a thousand nerves to now
I listen to cries that I’ll never hear
feeling empathy for the agony of strangers
torn from their routines into the brightness of disaster
as I lie awakening to reverberations of machine screams
wondering about final moments
about what’s behind the next door
and if I should get out of bed
to dance with sirens
David Trudel © 2013
