The Telling, The Listening

The Telling, The Listening is a new collection of narrative poems drawn from forty-five years of medical practice. Catharine Clark-Sayles, MD, served as a physician in the United States Army and private internal medicine and geriatric medical practice. These poems share real stories, subtly altered for anonymity, highlighting the healing power of listening carefully and telling each story with empathy and compassion. These poems explore the challenges doctors face daily, delivering bad news, balancing care with objectivity, and witnessing the mysteries of life and death. From medical school to hospitals, hospices, and beyond, the range of stories includes combat veterans, AIDS patients, and individuals facing profound choices. Readers will discover personal reflections on loss and the changing nature of medicine while engaging in a poignant and poetic conversation where storytelling bridges the gap between medicine and humanity.