Conductor of the Immune Orchestra

Taylor Deuley

Soft, smooth vibrations of music
Filling the hollow compartment
Quiet, yet demanding – unknowingly forceful
The white noise slowly growing
It’s no longer avoidable
Symptoms of its presence – well known
Swaying and fading
The whole cavity turning its attention
To the count that is taking over
The count that is growing
Overpowering the space
The noises get stronger
And as the conductor scrambles
The body is left is in shambles.

Taylor is a 20-year-old from Elizabeth, WV. Currently, she is studying Occupational Therapy at West Virginia University where she will graduate in 2021 with her Master of Occupational Therapy. She began to write poetry while enrolled in a course titled “Medicine in the Arts” with Renee Nicholson. The inspiration for this piece came from reading a book by Abraham Verghese, My Own Country.