Best Poems Written by Anusha Jha

My First Interaction With a Cadaver

As I entered the dissection hall with trepidation
My insides churned with disgust
When I set eyes on the cadaver
I felt scared and squeamish, but to continue was a must

I slipped on my gloves
And held up my forceps in my hand
As I looked around at my comrades
I felt I was far from wonderland

Our teacher told us to look down
And appreciate the structures we see
All I could think of was
This is a dead body in front of me

I knew I had to overcome my fears
As medicine was my life
I mustered up all the courage I could
And plunged my forceps into the cadaver like a knife

Everyone was horrified
At the unforeseen cadaver destruction
But I had a strange feeling
Of relief and satisfaction

I knew this was the only way 
To rid me of my fear
Now I felt I had triumphed
After having murdered a cadaver

I knew that was technically not possible
After all the cadaver was already dead
I knew I wont go to jail
For severing off a dead head

Now my fear was abolished
The next day I walked in with confidence
What I didn’t know was
I would have to do a harsh penance

My teached made me dissect cadaver after cadaver
Meticulously and carefully
This went on for days together
She showed me no mercy

After a point I began enjoying it
The smell of formalin became appealing
I reveled in the dissection
And slowing my anxiety began retreating

Today I’m thankfull to her
For believing in me
She didn’t let me give up
And made sure I grew from a sapling into a tree

Today I’m a cardiothoracic surgeon
And cadavers don’t excite me anymore
Its beating hearts that do
And long surgeries are therefore never a chore

I still remember my days as a medical student
While meeting the deadlines at the 11th hour
But the day I remember most fondly
Is the day I murdered a cadaver

Copyright © Anusha Jha | Year Posted 2014