It’s a different world
Filled with wonderment; learners on ladders looking over shoulders to see
To see a life, a story, covered in blue, distilled down to a patch of skin
Skin stretched like rubber bands, fascia barely holding on as organs are evicted
A rainbow of fluids painting the gowns of surgeons
The smell of burning flesh engraved in my mind
Whispers in the room about weekend plans and holiday tales
Abruptly ending when “We’re closing” echos through the frosty air
The count begins
Rushing against the clock to toss the debris in exchange for warm blankets
Removing the evidence of normalcy
To be awoken from a dream into a room of blue caps and tired eyes
Returned to families that will never know the scars went to battle
This was a Wednesday