my assigned a med student at 6 a.m. Brian, my Florsheims pounding the linoleum because this morning's patients are especially sick Brian, my somehow every morning this week every patient is especially sick Brian, my muttering to himself about urine outputs and losartan dosages in the hallway Brian (but lilted voice around patients, sorry to hear you didn't sleep well Brian), my only answers my questions if Mr. Donaldson, hemoptysis and 30-pack-year smoking habit Mr. Donaldson, has lung cancer with a grim silence, my up late writing notes Brian, my still finds time for giving advice about clinical rotations Brian, my the only feedback so far is to lose the tie Brian, my I only survived med school because of my wife Brian, my Brian with multiple pagers that you won't give to another intern because they had it last night, my still thinking about Mrs. Rodriguez's heart attack in room 33 Brian, my I'm not scared I'll get in trouble, I'm scared she'll be hurt, my I've never seen you take lunch so I bring you two donuts in the AM Brian, my this day is my picture of disaster but keeps walking towards the next room and smiles Brian, my when did your skin see sun last Brian, my does each day collapse into the next Brian, a tangle or mess of morning rounds and night calls Brian, my I hope you slept some hours last night Brian, my please hydrate Brian, my we've got news Brian, my when you finally took a break Brian, my we got the results Brian, my it's not cancer Brian, my did you hear us Brian, my wild fires can burn eucalyptus trees black and charred Brian, my but they grow back at the tree tops not at the base Brian, my did you hear us Brian, my survival is seen both in the wreckage and away from it Brian, my it's not cancer Brian, my sometime's it's not cancer, Brian, some day it's not cancer

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