All the ward's a stage: a surgeon's sonnet

Too soon the curtain of this stage will rise
Well trained am I and in this role well versed
In readiness again I don my guise
Yet fear and trembling parch my throat with thirst

My face assumes a self assured masque
The company does not suspect I feign
I force myself to focus on the task
I must find strength to play my part again.

In spite of every effort tried last night
That blackest of all curtains dark did fall
Today we must continue in the fight
Returning to the spotlights of the hall.

One last attempt to calm my trembling heart
Then off I go to play my fateful part.

As physicians we try to distance ourselves emotionally from our work, but find there are always cases that affect us. Sometimes things do indeed go very wrong, despite our best preparations and intentions. No matter how humbling the event, we often have no choice but to return and perform the same procedure.