Ilene Bauer Poet Rhyme

The Ambulance

Its siren is annoying;
Its flashing light disturbs.
Its speed propels pedestrians
To back up to the curbs.

It zigs and zags on city streets
Ignoring lights turned red,
Determined to respond, no matter
What might lie ahead.

A heart attack or vertigo,
An accident or fall;
A suicide or murder – 
The attendant’s seen it all.

To passersby, its presence
Is forgotten in a minute
Except, perhaps to thank their stars
They’re not the patient in it.

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Gershon Wolf February 6, 2020 at 4:29 PM Yup. You've captured reality precisely Ilene! Good one! :) Gershon

Rico Leffanta February 5, 2020 at 12:29 PM Well said! The last verse clearly establishes your command of the language! Drivers in Hawai'i tend to ignore sirens even though their high-pitch permanently damages hearing. Aloha! Rico

Paul Callus February 5, 2020 at 11:16 AM I have noticed the ambulance siren getting drivers into a panic, and have witnessed accidents because of it. For ambulance drivers/patients time is important, yet I also tend to think of the rabbit & tortoise....end results count! Regards // paul

Tom Cunningham February 5, 2020 at 9:50 AM Must say they do a brilliant job. Getting there quick is paramount, the golden hour they call it. Their driving skills are amazing weaving in and out of traffic. Tom

Anne-Lise Andresen February 5, 2020 at 4:42 AM - An ambulance can create scary situations both in traffic and in our thoughts ... drive carefully, dear Ilene - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

Evelyn Judy Buehler February 4, 2020 at 10:49 PM Ilene, your poem skillfully captures a vivid scene from the drama of city life. Well done!

Maurice Rigoler February 4, 2020 at 10:42 PM This is a perfect example of your skill at writing. You say much in a few lines. Few of us can do that, Ilene.Love the final stanza, a tought I've often had when an ambulance passes by. / M

Line Gauthier February 4, 2020 at 9:21 PM well penned, Ilene. You excelled at getting the urgency within these lines.

Jan Allison February 4, 2020 at 4:50 PM Sadly seeing ambulances is an all to common occurrence and when they have the blue lights flashing we know someone is in desperate need of medical assistance. so well observed as ever Ilene:-) hugs jan xx