“The poetry in this book provides a new language and a new voice for nursing's quest to seek alternative ways of being. Krysl helps us to push away the rock of apathy, of disinterest, of lassitude, and experience and feel the warm rays of light and energy that shine forth from the human spirit of caring embedded in nursing's most seemingly mundane acts.”
—Dr. Jean Watson

SKIN

Because skin is the first organ
to form in the womb, and first things
are of first importance

Because skin is the largest
organ--an adult's skin weighs six pounds
and stretched out covers eighteen square feet--

Because the skin's resilience
can only be experienced

Because it feels superior by far
to silk or challis

and in addition is lovely
to look at, nothing by Cardin
comes close to it

Because it's the organ with which we experience wind,
which most loves water,

Because it's the organ through which we begin
to discover each other

because, because, because, and for all these good reasons

hurry out and touch someone now! Delay
in this matter is not
a good idea, you have delayed too long
already, your suffering brothers and sisters
are waiting, you can hardly expect them to wait
much longer, and remember, when you touch
another person, the skin
gives off a chemical which makes them, and you
feel better
more alert
more cheerful
more willing to take chances
more open to new experience
more generally obstreperously intend on securing
the greatest good for everybody
and more likely to say NO to the MX
and YES to the levy for the public schools.

After all, it's
the organ

through which we take in
the light we give out