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Ovid’s Metamorphoses tells the story of Icarus-his tragic flight with man-made wings, the melting of the wax that bound them, and the ensuing fall to his death. This moment has been immortalized across the arts and through several mediums, but none are more notable than Bruegel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus. Described as a “painter for poets,” Bruegel’s work served as inspiration for several writers, with this piece in particular providing the basis for ekphrastic poems by W.H. Auden and William Carlos Williams. Though each of these works has a different focus, the unifying theme is that human tragedy is too often placed on the periphery of notice. They are effective reminders to physicians and other healthcare providers about the human aspect of suffering and pain in medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why does anyone write poetry? Lisel Mueller (1924-2020) was a poet, author, and translator with a long and much-decorated career. She and her family fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s and emigrated to the United States, where she would establish herself as a writer. The poem "When I Am Asked" describes the beginning of her journey into poetry, undertaken during a period of grief after the death of her mother. Her writing would come to include nine collections of poetry and myriad accolades, including the 1981 National Book Award and the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Though her ouvre is filled with evocative works, this piece stands out as particularly relevant to physicians and other writers who find solace by expressing themselves through the art of poetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John McCrae (1872-1918) was a Canadian physician, poet, and soldier who fought and died in the First World War. He penned perhaps his most memorable and lasting poem, "In Flanders Fields," shortly after the death of a comrade at the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915. The poem gained almost instant popularity, being used for recruiting efforts and victory bond sales throughout the remainder of the war, and solidified forever the symbol of the poppy as a memorial token for the service members who had perished. His death towards the end of the war, like that of so many others in the perilous years between 1914 and 1918, cut short the trajectory of what had already amounted to a brilliant career. As a close friend of such titans of medicine as William Osler and Harvey Cushing, as well as acquainted with the likes of Rudyard Kipling, it is not difficult to imagine the impact that his passing had upon the future of medicine and literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perioperative death is a harrowing experience that physicians often encounter while needing to continue life sustaining care for others. In this piece, an anesthesiology resident uses poetry to process the recent passing of one of his patients, highlighting the ways that it continues to impact the care that he provides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This issue’s Poet’s Pen is an experiential work submitted by Captain Justin C. Cordova, MD, from the Department of Anesthesiology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The submission was a response to an invitation for our readers to submit poems for consideration of publication. Captain Cordova’s work, “Against Medical Advice,” is an engaging and provocative poem that focuses on a disturbing healthcare provider challenge—attempting to deliver “best care” to patients who, for countless reasons, choose a pathway we label as noncompliance or against medical advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poem "Like a Country Without NATO" by Justin C. Cordova is presented. First line: Losing a pancreas is not what kills you. ; Last Line: Is this doing no harm? Is this doing no injustice?

The Anesthesia and Critical Care Reviews and Commentary (ACCRAC) Podcast provides stimulating lectures on a broad range of educational topics within the realms of anesthesia and critical care. Though not intended as a primary learning tool, it can be used as part of a multidisciplinary developmental approach for both trainees and staff clinicians. This short commentary provides a brief overview of its contents and describes its relevance to board preparation and career-focused continuing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anesthesiology resident at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center uses poetry to reflect upon the challenges of treating chronic illness in the setting of correctional healthcare. The poem was written to commemorate the patient's birthday, which he spent in the prison hospital being treated for primary biliary cholangitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the role of medical student activism in bringing about significant change at Tufts University by removing the Sackler family name from buildings and programs due to their involvement in the opioid crisis.

An anesthesiology intern at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center uses poetry to describe the nuances related to an end-of-life discussion with a terminally ill patient. She was a new admission to the oncology service who had already come to grips with her impending death, but had not yet discovered its identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Anesthesia and Critical Care Reviews and Commentary (ACCRAC) Podcast provides stimulating lectures on a broad range of educational topics within the realms of anesthesia and critical care. Though not intended as a primary learning tool, it can be used as part of a multidisciplinary developmental approach for both trainees and staff clinicians. This short commentary provides a brief overview of its contents and describes its relevance to board preparation and career-focused continuing education., Competing Interests: The authors report no funding or conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Baylor University Medical Center.)

Competing Interests: The authors report no funding or conflicts of interests.