Weill Cornell

Walking down York Avenue I espied a sprawling
Hospital, the walls stood nigh betwixt the moon
Unbowed, the windows were grim and lonely,
The profits flowed while the meek were ravaged,

The sky was grey amidst the groaning – and the
Doctors were all smiling – they smiled the smile of
Death, dancing the dance of the soulless on the
Bones of barren shores, where the selfless had met

Their destiny like a memory in amber bound, as
Time was enshrouded by the void while dominion’s
Spires stood unshakable; walking down York
Avenue I espied patients treated very differently,

Some were treated with great courtesy, while others
Were regarded as beneath contempt, the callow
Patient full of innocence thrown to the cannibal’s lair,
Where the gates of Lucifer beckon and the light

Shines never more; walking down York Avenue, I
Felt the doom all around me, the harrowing bells
Rang out and shook my soul to its core amidst the
gloaming – and the doctors were all smiling – for
They smiled the smile of Death

David Penner’s articles on politics and health care have appeared in Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, Global Research, The Saker blog, OffGuardian and KevinMD; while his poetry can be found at Dissident Voice, Mad in America, and redtailedhawk.substack.com. Also a photographer, he is the author of three books of portraiture: Faces of The New Economy, Faces of Manhattan Island, and Manhattan Pairs. He can be reached at 321davidadam@gmail.com. Read other articles by David.