Nurses
We know
when it is said
"Oh, I'm a nurse, too..."
an instant camaraderie occurs
in that moment:
remembrance
of all those days
and nights
of school, assignments, chapters pored over
endless cups of coffee
worrying about that first shot or IV given
patients, wild and mild
a physician's wrath or guiding hand
instructors in their strange kind cruelty
supervisors keeping their vulture's watch
all of it is known
between us
because
she or he
is a nurse, like me
and only a nurse
can know...
(c)K.E.Cline, 14 June 1997