Words:	117
Access:	Public
Comments:	60

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Dr Zhivago

Four birds will know
when the snow falls again,
it will light up the faces,
but I won't see all of them.

Maybe saintly, even faintly amused,
by your blatant stuttering.
I'm forever forward going backwards,
that's always been my problem

Dr Zhivago, please come and help her
I'm waiting on your call,
the four birds can't help her,
so here lies the snow.

Take your time doc,
we are the masters of patience,
want another coffee doc?
We wouldn't want you to sleep.

So we trust in your decision,
to cure with good intentions.
We will gather around her tonight
to sing our hearts out.

All rights reserved
�? Giles Paley-Phillips, 2005

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Comments

Comment by: Mrs Woolf Online- 2008-02-15 20:23

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I may be obtuse here, but those four birds are not actual birds, but those lights in a surgery room that either the patient or someone extremely attached to the patient associate those lights with. And the patient and the person attached to her are so attached they become intertwined. That would be a clever construction. :)

Comment by: charlie - 2007-07-07 11:01

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I don't get it. I've seen Dr. Zhivago many times and read the book twice. I don't get the reference. Who is she? 4 birds? I don't get the symbolism. I'm not criticizing, I am curious and would really like to know.

Comment by: blackswan - 2007-05-18 05:53

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Very poignant and telling. I love the imagery - the stress you create by your choice of words is a great echo of the stress of such a situation. And the twist ending says so much. Bravo!