White Coat

Here is what I have seen:

Hidden within the cavern of the left ventricle

concealed – carefully, delicately – amongst myelinated neurones

and buried just below the dermis are

the shades of you

Here is what I have heard:

Resonating deep below the sternum

and whispering through your veins are the

hushed tones of the colour and the shape of

the stories of you

Here is what I have felt:

Pulsating against the surface

forged into every muscle

and etched defiantly into every bone is

the strength of you

Here is what I have learnt:

I can trace bones in an anatomy book

and can scrutinise every cell of every tissue of every organ

but in every breath, in every heartbeat, in every moment

the shades and the stories and the strength of you

of him, of her – of us – of me

are unique