The Flute Player

By Sahiti Vemula, M4

An ode to every spirit that has lost their voice,

but learned to make music instead.

With a finger over his permanent tracheal stoma,

turning his foodpipe into a new windpipe

winded from all the pain,

painstakingly gathering all the wind he can,

gushing air from his lungs

to turn his buried thoughts

into blooming melody,

he speaks again.

Opening the valve of his voice prosthesis,

a new kind of thesis,

on humanity’s intrinsic reliance

on connection—

in order to exist

to speak

to be heard

to be listened to—

I hear you.

You are not the freak with a tube sticking out of his throat

You are not the freak who can no longer make food a social sport

You are not the freak who’s voice box was ripped out with cancer—

You, are a flute player.

Your song has moved me,

motivated me,

reminded me,

of my own fragile humanity.

Thank you for your music.

Ms. Vemula is a rising fourth-year medical student at the Keck School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles. She is passionate about the intersection of medicine and the humanities and views the role of the arts as critical to preventing burnout and reminding ourselves of why we do what we do. Throughout medical school, she has written on various themes, from her very first patient — her donor in anatomy lab — to self-reflections on her evolving identity, and experiences with patients on the wards. She also likes to dance, read, and spend time exploring everything LA has to offer with her friends!