Mr. White, or can I call you Bob? I promise you this: We will take great care of your heart. The surgeon, yes that’s me, from India, I will lead the operation. An anaesthetist from Syria will put you to sleep, a nurse from Sri Lanka will pass me medical instruments and we will not leave any inside you. A junior doctor from Romania will neatly sew you up and a porter called Erik, from Sweden, will wheel you back. Does that sound alright? I think that sounds rather beautiful, Mr Chakrabarti. Thank you, Bob. I look forward to hearing your heart beating strongly.
This poem was first published in Acumen.