Poem "The Journey," by Arthur Ginsberg MFA '10, Inspired by his Experiences as a Neurologist, Published Online

Arthur Ginsberg, who received an MFA in creative writing at Pacific University in 2010, has had his poem The Journey published by "Pulse: Voices from the heart of medicine."

It reads in part:

"he signaled with three eye-blinks
that he wanted to fly. I tell you this because
I was asked to play god —
to cut him loose without a map or ladder
to climb back, to stop his lungs forever."

"This poem was inspired directly by my experience as a clinical neurologist," he said.

Ginsberg is a neurologist in Seattle. In 2003 he was awarded the William Stafford Prize by the Washington Poets Association. His book The Anatomist was published in 2013. Recent works appear in the anthologies Blood and Bone: Poems by Physicians and Primary Care: More Poems by Physicians (University of Iowa Press). He teaches a course entitled, "Brain and the Healing Power of Poetry," in the honors program at the University of Washington.