This poem is part of the Poems for doctors project. You can find out more about the project here.

Season 4 : poem 2

Dr Lynn Urquhart, Infectious Diseases and Acute Medicine Consultant at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, reads Talking to the Family by John Stone

Talking to the Family

John Stone

My white coat waits in the corner
like a father.
I will wear it to meet the sister
in her white shoes and organza dress
in the live of winter,

the milkless husband
holding the baby.

I will tell them.

They will put it together
and take it apart.
Their voices will buzz.
The cut ends of their nerves
will curl.

I will take off the coat,
drive home,
and replace the light bulb in the hall.

Rights: from ‘Talking to the Family’ from Music from Apartment 8: New and Selected Poems. Copyright © 2004 Reprinted with the permission of Louisiana State University Press

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