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.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2020



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Date: 2/6/2020 4:29:00 PM
Yup. You've captured reality precisely Ilene! Good one! :) Gershon
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Date: 2/5/2020 12:29:00 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
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Date: 2/5/2020 11:16:00 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
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Date: 2/5/2020 9:50:00 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
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Date: 2/5/2020 4:42:00 AM
- An ambulance can create scary situations both in traffic and in our thoughts ... drive carefully, dear Ilene - hugs // Anne-Lise :)
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Date: 2/4/2020 10:49:00 PM
Ilene, your poem skillfully captures a vivid scene from the drama of city life. Well done!
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Date: 2/4/2020 10:42:00 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
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Date: 2/4/2020 9:21:00 PM
well penned, Ilene. You excelled at getting the urgency within these lines.
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Date: 2/4/2020 4:50:00 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
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