Jack Foley
THE VIEW I LEARNED TO DREAD
Escape with me from the hospital
Into the wild deep sunset outside the window
Into the world of fire
Going down into dark as everything fades
Escape with me from the prison
Which is the hospital
Which is the world
In which I found myself without asking.
Beyond the window.
I am an orphan
Whose father is fire
Whose mother is darkness.
I am the elsewhere
That rings in your ears at the dead end of day.
The hospital ends at the window.
Escape with me: fly
Or stay.
This photo was taken by me at the request of Marilla Argüelles. It was taken from the top floor of Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley. Marilla’s caption, “the view I learned to dread,” reflects the fact that both her husband Ivan and her son Max were currently in the hospital. (Max had in fact had a long history with the hospital.) I looked at the photo and suddenly had a different view of the view—so I wrote a poem. My poem is dedicated to Ivan and Max.
Escape with me from the hospital
Into the wild deep sunset outside the window
Into the world of fire
Going down into dark as everything fades
Escape with me from the prison
Which is the hospital
Which is the world
In which I found myself without asking.
Beyond the window.
I am an orphan
Whose father is fire
Whose mother is darkness.
I am the elsewhere
That rings in your ears at the dead end of day.
The hospital ends at the window.
Escape with me: fly
Or stay.
This photo was taken by me at the request of Marilla Argüelles. It was taken from the top floor of Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley. Marilla’s caption, “the view I learned to dread,” reflects the fact that both her husband Ivan and her son Max were currently in the hospital. (Max had in fact had a long history with the hospital.) I looked at the photo and suddenly had a different view of the view—so I wrote a poem. My poem is dedicated to Ivan and Max.