I LIVE

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  • Inspirational

    Poem Commentary

    I WROTE THIS POEM SOME 30 YEARS AGO WHEN A CASE IN NEW YORK BETWEEN PARENTS AND THE HOSPITAL REGARDING LIFE SUPPORT FOR MS KAREN ANN QUINLAN WAS GOING TO COURT. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ONE DAY ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK AND WROTE THIS NOT KNOWING THAT 30 YEARS LATER MY HUSBAND WOULD FIT THIS POEM. HIS DECISION TO STOP HIS DIALYSIS AFTER 11 YEARS AND HIS OTHER TREATMENTS WAS DIFFICULT BUT BRAVE AND HE IS TRULY MY HERO. I DEDICATE THIS POEM TO HIM AND ALL THOSE WHO MAKE THAT DIFFICULE DECISION.  THEY ARE IN A BETTER PLACE NOW.  GRACEANN MARTELLI

    I LIVE

    I LIVE

    FOR ALL THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO END LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS.

    I AM !  I BREATH ---THEREFORE I LIVE!
    THE BLOOD PUMPS THROUGH MY BODY---
    THEREFORE I LIVE!

    YET DO I LIVE?

    I HAVE A BRAIN, I THINK! YET THERE ARE NO IDEAS.
    I HAVE EYES---I SEE!
    THERE IS SUNLIGHT, YET I SEE ONLY DARKNESS.
    I HAVE EARS---I HEAR!
    YET THERE IS NOISE AROUND ME AND I HEAR NOTHING.
    I REACH OUT TO TOUCH YET I DO NOT FEEL,
    I CANNOT FEEL.

    I DO NOT LIVE! I DO NOT LIVE! I EXIST!

    I EXIST!

    I LIVE, I BREATH WITH THE HELP OF MACHINES.
    I DO NOT FUNCTION ON MY OWN.
    SOON THEY WILL UNDERSTAND THAT I DO NOT LIVE.
    THEY WILL STOP THE MACHINES, I WILL DIE.

    I AM DEAD!

    NOW I LIVE!   NOW I LIVE!

    GRACE ANN MARTELLI
    COPYRIGHTS (c) 2008

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    Poetry is finer and more philosophical than history; for poetry expresses the universal, and history only the particular.

    Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC) Greek philosopher.

    GraceAnn’s Poems (7)

    Title Comments Submitted
    Title Comments Submitted
    I WOULD IF I COULD 0 10/18/2009
    BINGO 1 10/13/2009
    "TROUBLE" MAN'S BEST FRIEND 0 10/13/2009
    AFRAID OF THE NIGHT (DARK) 1 10/13/2009
    BLUES 0 10/13/2009
    GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 0 10/13/2009
    I LIVE 0 10/13/2009
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