Breathin - Max Patillo Poem by Denise Yoonai

I wake up promptly at 6: 30 am
Head to the bathroom and dance to Ariana... because it's a bop- I know I gotta keep, keep on breathin;
Give myself a wink in the mirror because I'm looking fine.
Put on my freshly pressed scrubs,
Walk to the kitchen and give my family a kiss;
I head out the door to the hospital.


Driving down highway 67, I turn up NPR
Something is different about this drive
A call comes in and there's an incident in the park


At the park, I immediately see my patient Arnoldo
He has walked a long way in the cold and is confused
I kneel next to him and start singing his favorite song
*gotta keep on breathin'*
I freeze when I hear him, hands up, I can't explain it
I couldn't move, couldn't run, just froze