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Scholarly Commons > HCA Healthcare Journal > Vol. 5 > Iss. 6 (2024)

 

Keywords

poetry; medicine in the arts; music therapy; radiation oncology; patient communication

Disciplines

Medical Humanities | Music Therapy | Oncology | Radiation Medicine

Abstract

“Lyrical Stillness” is a poem I wrote during my radiation oncology rotation, during which I was provided the opportunity to learn more about multidisciplinary cancer care while delving deeper into radiotherapy. Cancer can be an overwhelming disease process physically, psychologically, and emotionally. Patients undergoing treatment often experience stress and anxiety with the uncertainty of their prognoses. In this poem, I describe a patient receiving radiation therapy whom I enjoyed speaking to about his favorite hobby: bird watching. During his subsequent radiation treatment sessions, I decided to play a CD of mockingbirds singing in a tropical forest, in the hopes it would remind him of fond memories and ease his anxiety with the treatment process. The poem emphasizes the importance of listening, having empathy, and treating others as whole human beings.

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