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AD LIBITUM

Whispers of Spring

William Kim

1 August 1996 | Volume 125 Issue 3 | Page 252

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As I leave the hospital
this spring morning,
the sparrows,
starting over again,
sing from the barren
branches above.
Years before,
I used to peer
into nests,
wondering who willed
the eggs to hatch
the sounds
so essential to spring.
But today I passed
without a smile,
much like the sun
which didn't show,
still afraid to awaken
the hibernating grass
with its pale complexion.
Perhaps I've grown accustomed
to the flutterings of spring,
resurrecting itself yet again,
unlike the 18-year-old boy
we crowded around
like doves in our white coats,
futilely flocking together
with hopes of sowing
new seeds of life
into his nest
of chirping machines.
Yet his heart,
with its guileless grace
beating one last time,
whispered mutely
while we listened
to a silence intervene,
as inevitable thoughts of mortality
coated us like morning dew
which dissipated swiftly
as I drew back the curtains
to see what the day might bring.

Author and Article Information

Top Author & Article Info

Providence, RI 02906-5032
Requests for Reprints: William Kim, 767 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, RI 02906-5032.

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