What the Doctor Said

Any Good Poem

Richard Berlin, MD, shares the poem "What the Doctor Said," by Raymond Carver. Carver was a heavy smoker, and an American short story writer and poet. He was known for his minimalist style and focus on working-class Americans. Carver is considered to have played a significant role in the revitalization of the short story form in American literature during the 1980s. His stories and poems often depicted the struggles of everyday individuals dealing with themes such as isolation, loss, and the complexities of human relationships.

One of the complexities is the moment a doctor must break bad news to a patient, which is what this poem is about.

Dr Berlin has been writing a poem about his experience of being a doctor every month for the past 27 years in Psychiatric Times in a column called “Poetry of the Times.” He is an instructor in psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts. His latest book is Tender Fences.