---
title: COVID-19 Poetry Expresses Lightworker's Rage at the Insanity of These Times
description: In these crazy times of COVID-19 and insane vaccine conspiracy theories, sometimes only poetry can come close to describing the pain
image: https://www.thehappymd.com/hubfs/Lightworker%20Under%20Water.jpg
---

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## **The Creative Destruction of Physician Burnout **

[![prevent doctor burnout matrix](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/263814/da1e787d-095f-4485-9d4d-9a9bc4195d86.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/263814/da1e787d-095f-4485-9d4d-9a9bc4195d86)

# [COVID-19 Poetry Expresses Lightworker's Rage at the Insanity of These Times](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/covid-19-poetry-expresses-lightworkers-rage-and-the-insanity)

Posted by [Dike Drummond MD](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/author/dike-drummond-md)

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## This is a poem written by a physician after reflecting on a veteran who died of gallstone pancreatitis because of the ICU bed shortage due to unvaccinated COVID-19 patients.

(image by @bozorgmehrhosseinpour)

 

**Sometimes only poetry can express adequately.**

 

This is from [a fellow lightworker](https://physiciansonpurpose.libsyn.com/28-the-lightworkers-fork-in-the-road-burnouts-origin-story) in the wake of a bizarre and tragic and needlessly fatal illness only possible in these days of coronavirus and insane vaccine conspiracy theories.

Remember, circle your wagons. Take really good care of yourself. This will eventually pass. Help is [here if you need it.](https://www.thehappymd.com/physician-burnout-coach-team)

 

![LightworkerUnderWater](https://www.thehappymd.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/2021%20IMAGES/2021%20BLOG%20IMAGES/LightworkerUnderWater.jpg?width=288&name=LightworkerUnderWater.jpg)

> “We wanted to help people
> 
> We were smart and driven
> 
> We loved science and physiology, humans and disease
> 
> So we made a commitment
> 
> We signed up
> 
> It was an honor

> We read thousands of pages
> 
> Attended hundreds of lectures
> 
> Pulled all-nighters
> 
> Took more exams than we thought possible
> 
> Finals week felt insurmountable
> 
> But it didn’t break us
> 
> It made us stronger
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> We learned statistics and biochemistry
> 
> Immunology and pathophysiology
> 
> We mastered genetics, virology and pharmacology
> 
> We read scientific papers and learned how to dissect them
> 
> Papers, not videos
> 
> It was an honor
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> We came running when you needed us
> 
> Literally, running down the hallway
> 
> To the ICU, the trauma bay, labor and delivery
> 
> I need help, you said
> 
> We can help, we said
> 
> It was an honor
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> There were moments that we thought would break us
> 
> Moments that drove us to journaling, to therapy, to nightmares
> 
> Broken babies.
> 
> Paralyzed children.
> 
> Dead pregnant mothers with three kids at home.
> 
> The wail of a mother whose son just died.
> 
> We bent but we did not break
> 
> We returned because you needed us
> 
> And we could help
> 
> It was an honor
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> Then there was fear
> 
> Fear of walking into our place of work
> 
> Fear that we’d be killed by going to work
> 
> Fear that we’d kill a loved one because of our work
> 
> There were tears and sleepless nights and anti-anxiety medications
> 
> But you banged your pots and pans
> 
> You sent us pizzas and called us heroes
> 
> You needed us
> 
> We could help
> 
> So we wore our masks, and our gowns, and our gloves, and our goggles
> 
> We decontaminated ourselves before going home and isolated ourselves from our families
> 
> We almost broke
> 
> It was an honor
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> How quickly the joy turned to defeat
> 
> Elation to rage
> 
> You’ve learned to do your own research now
> 
> You know better than we do
> 
> Gaslighting is your language
> 
> Your selfishness is astounding
> 
> You don’t want our help when we ask you to stay healthy
> 
> Yet you arrive at our doors begging for help at the end
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> You stole our resources
> 
> You hobbled our ability to help those who did what they were supposed to do
> 
> You killed our patients by filling our beds and using up our ventilators
> 
> We can’t help any more
> 
> You broke us
> 
> There is no more honor”

> ~~ Anonymous

 

## Story

[**"Veteran dies of treatable illness as COVID fills hospital beds, leaving doctors "playing musical chairs"**](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-us-hospital-icu-bed-shortage-veteran-dies-treatable-illness/)

**August 27, 2021**

[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-us-hospital-icu-bed-shortage-veteran-dies-treatable-illness/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-us-hospital-icu-bed-shortage-veteran-dies-treatable-illness/) 

 

Need Support Right Now?  
[Our coaches are HERE](https://www.thehappymd.com/physician-burnout-coach-team)  
No cost, No obligation, Completely Confidential

 

 

============

## PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT (or your own Poem)

**How are you holding up in this CRAZY?**

 

 

 Tags: [stop physician burnout](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/topic/stop-physician-burnout), [Covid19](https://www.thehappymd.com/blog/topic/covid19)

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