Voices

<p>To the Reader</p><p><br></p><p>The structure of this work is quite straightforward.</p><p><br></p><p>In a sparsely furnished family physician's office patients arrive alone to tell their story.</p><p><br></p><p>What is important to this doctor? Only that which is important to his patients - nothing more and nothing less.</p><p><br></p><p>Some come once never to return. Others frequent his office repeatedly as they struggle to make sense of what has befallen them.</p><p><br></p><p>None come for judgment; a few for advice; but all simply to be heard.</p><p><br></p><p>On the left facing page are notations of several types:</p><p><br></p><p>VOICE OVER - introduces the speaker</p><p>&- commentary on how the poem is to be read</p><p>&&- personal reflections of the writer on the meaning of the poem</p><p><br></p><p>Readers may very well wonder if each poem represents a single patient. In a few instances this is the case. But most of them are composites based upon repeated contact with people who have contended in their unique ways with common crises.</p><p><br></p><p>I have been privileged to have had no less than 150000 patient encounters (100 patients per week - 50 weeks per year - 30 years).</p><p><br></p><p>Despite our differences at the end of the day we confront the same basic issues of life and living.</p>