"At the Hospital" - David Ferry

David Ferry (1924-) is an American writer, poet, and translator who has won many awards, such as the Lenore Marshall prize, Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry the Bingham Poetry Prize, etc. He is most well known for his translations of Horace, Virgil, and other classical authors.

"At the Hospital"

She was the sentence the cancer spoke at last,

Its blurred grammar finally clarified.

This poem about cancer relies almost entirely upon metaphor and symbolism to provide meaning due to its extreme brevity. It is first stated that “she was the sentence the cancer spoke”. “She” could be any patient, or anyone. “She,” however, most likely refers to death, as things related to cancer often do. The ambiguous meaning of “sentence” gives it two symbolic meanings. It is either a group of words that conveys a message, or a declaration of punishment. It conveys to the reader both the anxiety and uncertainty of having cancer (the group of words) and the suffering of unjust punishment (death through cancer). In this way, it adds to the serious, reverent tone. One personification acting as a metaphor is that “cancer spoke at last”. The disease is mute, but it carries a great solemnness and power that forces us to acknowledge it. Here, cancer’s “blurred grammar” is mentioned. Not only does cancer mimic other diseases, it also is hard to predict and can return to those cured of it. However, the grammar “finally clarified,” implies that the patient has passed away, as that is the only state in which cancer offers any certainty. This also helps to create the solemn tone. The two-line form of the poem itself is a metaphor. It relates to a message a doctor might give to the family of the deceased – “I am sorry to inform you/ that the patient has passed”. This further helps to solidify the serious, somber tone of the poem. The brief nature of the poem also testifies to the brevity of life, especially when cancer is involved.