Inside Here<\/p>\n
By<\/p>\n
Jennifer Angelina Petro<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Inside here:<\/p>\n
Regimented, monitored, life-signs checked,<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s time to eat,\u201d and, \u201cattention please,<\/p>\n
Level two trauma alert, ETA four minutes,<\/p>\n
attention please, level two trauma alert, ETA four minutes,<\/p>\n
attention please, level two trauma alert, ETA four minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The meditation room is off limits right now<\/p>\n
Since they don\u2019t have anyone to keep an eye on me<\/p>\n
While I pray.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAttention please, level three trauma alert, ETA now,<\/p>\n
attention please, level three trauma alert, ETA now,<\/p>\n
attention please, level three trauma alert, ETA now.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Inside here:<\/p>\n
Suffering, shock-brained-slow-moving\/talking people<\/p>\n
Try to be friendly, \u201cWelcome to the party,\u201d another patient says<\/p>\n
As I enter the craft room, \u201cYou are who you are,\u201d she says<\/p>\n
As I sit down amidst the stares, Zen-doodle coloring books,<\/p>\n
Beads, tempera paints, crayons, and colored pencils,<\/p>\n
And start to draw a golden dragon.\u00a0 \u201cYou are<\/p>\n
Who you are,\u201d I say to myself as I add crimson wings<\/p>\n
To the dragon that open out over a valley of Saint George\u2019s<\/p>\n
And Saint Michael\u2019s\u2014swords drawn\u2014<\/p>\n
Waiting for me to land.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n