Winter’s waters, or: Windshield wipers

Eisenmenger syndrome is caused by a congenital heart defect.

If the defect is identified before it causes significant pulmonary hypertension, it can be repaired through surgery, preventing the disease. Otherwise, a heart–lung transplant is the only curative option.

My friend died at the age of 28 from Eisenmenger syndrome. She was born in Soviet Ukraine when they didn’t have the means to repair the holes in her infant heart – one between her ventricles and one between her atria.

I remember going on slow walks with her. Her heart was pumping deoxygenated blood together with the oxygenated blood her body needed… So, she lacked energy. That’s why she loved to drive – cruising down the highway allowed her to move as quickly as everybody else.

glistening roadways
winter's waters soak bus stops
windshield wipers swish

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d’Verse Haibun Monday

The above haibun was written for today’s d’Verse prompt, which is to pen a heart-themed haibun.

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Let’s write poetry together!

When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.

–Ben Harper (b. 1969)

Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!