Invincible

Jay Kaplan, MD

you know

we believe we are invincible

perhaps immortal

until we learn that we are not

the learning may come in hints bits and pieces

or 

as a big and sudden revelation

or

anywhere in the chasm in between

oh the depths we then find ourselves in

as we immediately remember

this life is not a dress rehearsal

no longer just an idea

now a visceral recognition

we in health care

know this more and better than most

as we care for those whose bodies have them

feeling out of control

grasping to right their ship 

and keep their boat afloat

in the oceans of illness

only now

it isn’t just them

in that water

we find ourselves feeling

out of control

grasping to right our own ship

not certain what moves to make

feeling the same terror that our patients have felt

are we

am I

are you 

willing to reach out your hand

so that others may reach out their hand 

to guide you 

through your wilderland

there is no way out but through

Jay Kaplan, MD   5/7/2023

Jay Kaplan, MD, FACEP, CCFP is an emergency physician with over 40 years of experience, who serves a physician coach, consultant, mentor, and poet. Drawing from his past role as president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, he highlights the tendency of healthcare professionals to suppress their emotions. He stresses the importance of "moving those feelings from inside to the outside where we can recognize them and accept them." To him, poetry serves as a vehicle for this emotional release. Reflecting on a recent family trip where he faced severe persistent vertigo, his poem delves into fear and vulnerability, creating a connection with patients' feelings.

You can find more about him on: https://www.jaykaplanmd.com/