The Nohnlove: Collected Poems & Stories

By B. Dichter

This is a collection of poems written over the last 65 years, some published previously, some never published before. They range from romantic to philosophical to hospital experiences. The stories are mostly medical situations going from medical school to residency to practice. One is a mischievous fantasy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 15, 2007
• ISBN: 9781469100524

B. Dichter

Author Bio The author has practiced medicine over 55 years. Poems were written as the ideas occurred – at the hospital or in the middle of the night. Some were written as assignments in a poetry-writing course. He has been married for 55 years and has three daughters and three grandchildren. Though officially retired, he continues to do part-time work in Occupational Medicine, his third career after ER and Pediatrics.

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Copyright © 2007 by Benjamin D. Gordon.

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For Ellen

a love and a friend

Contents

At the Hospital 

FLASHBACKS 

THE BITES 

THE PRETTY D.O.A. 

THE STROKE 

THE TREACHEROUS RAPE 

THE RAPE 

Feelings 

A QUIET PLACE 

ANOTHER SUNSET AT YARMOUTHPORT WHARF 

BEETHOVEN 

BLOSSOM FANTASY 

EERIE WORLD 

VICTORIAN ANTEROOM 

FOR MARY OLIVER 

FRANNY 

HARRY 

HERE IT IS AGAIN 

I LOVE— 

OPPORTUNITY 

PEACE 

FOLK SONG 

ON JOY 

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN 

PERFECT MOMENTS 

PURPLE BLUES, EVENING BLUES 

RHINEBECK 

SCHATSIE 

THE CONCERT 

THE GOLD ROSE 

THE TRIP HOME FROM

MY COUSIN’S HOUSE 

TRIBUTE TO IRV 

THE FIRST TIME I 

WINTER AT 30 WHARF LANE 

YES! I WOULD. 

Love and Romance 

EXCHANGE 

EXPLORERS 

THE FIRST TIME I 

NOT ALL GONE 

THE BOND 

THE GEM 

THE NOHNLOVE 

THE SUNDIAL 

TINGLE 

SARA GORDO 

Thoughts 

ASHIMI’S SURPRISES 

AUTUMN 

CHALLENGE 

CHAMPAGNE AND PEACHES 

COMPOSING POETRY 

RENEWAL 

INSIGHT 

SONG OF A POET 

EARLIER TIMES 

HAIKU 

HOW TO MAKE A POET 

I CANNOT KNOW 

LAST DAY OF CHILDHOOD 

LOSS OF INNOCENCE 

MY HAND 

THE NATURE OF OMEN 

ON RACIAL PREJUDICE 

ON SALVATION 

ON MY DECK 

PARADOX 

PEOPLE 

COMPROMISE 

PONDERING WHAT AFFECTS

ME MOST 

PORTRAIT OF THE SOUL OF THE ARTIST AT ALL AGES 

PROGRESS 

THE SPACE INVADERS 

OUR OBJECT NOT SUBLIME 

TELL ME WHERE’S GOOD

FORTUNE BRED 

THE BUBBER 

THE CHOICE 

THE ENEMY 

THE SUDDEN QUESTION 

THE MAN WHO— 

THE TRAGIC CYCLE (revised) 

TO LEARN 

UNIQUE 

WHEN— 

WHEN THOUGHT AND

EMPATHY ARE GONE 

WHY A POET 

WISDOM FRAGMENT 

WONDERING 

Whimsy 

BEST? 

FIRST LOVE 

INVITATION TO A WALTZ PARTY 

THE MUSIC GOES ’ROUND

AND ’ROUND 

WHICH AGE? 

Selected Stories 

THE PERFORMANCE 

TWO REMEMBERS 

TWO STORIES 

At the Hospital 

FLASHBACKS

 

Yelling and screaming

he’s brought to the ER.

we knew him from many a

   previous time

he’d been long in Nam—

it distorted his mind—

it tore at the decency

learned in his prime.

We listened to learn

what pictures were these

that had surfaced to burden his brain and to fill

his consciousness now—

though his body was here he was

nevertheless on Hamburger Hill.

The last time we saw him

’twas he brought the girl

whom he lived with and loved—

and loved deep and long—

on her throat reddened marks

from his maddening grip—

then his horror-shocked brain

saw she wasn’t Viet Cong.

He’d had a fine mind, but could study no more,

was lucky to find a veterinarian’s door

where he worked as a helper, with a sense he’d been caught—

but he could have been a professor of thought.

THE BITES

 

21 and seven months pregnant—

routine complaint: sore throat

but bruises on her arms and back

   a peculiar interrupted symmetry.

inquired.

child’s father recently displeased with her:

   bites of a narcotic animal.

THE PRETTY D.O.A.

 

First 20 year old wheeled in kept asking

How is my friend? Is she all right?

alcohol pungent—

saw to the small cut and fractured nose

   admitted she’d been drinking—

   a party.

What do you remember

The last thing was——paused.

She yelled ‘Look out’

still unaware those were last words.

Half hour later, three young policemen,

   undisguised pain in somber professional expressions,

   wheeled in her passenger.

No external bruises but—

   nothing to do

   a simple exam told all.

Front page photo next day embroidered the officer’s

   Took us ten minutes to get her out of the car, Doc. I’m afraid—.

One of our nurses ran to a back room and cried—

   had known her in high school.

Family minister and wife came later with a 22 year old sister.