Doc's poem about coronavirus battle published in medical journal

A poem written by a Chinese doctor to encourage her colleagues in the front-line battle against the novel coronavirus was published in a leading medical journal.

Chest, a US-based journal on respiratory and intensive care, published Dr Li Jia’s poem “Fighting the Novel Coronavirus Together with You,” This is the first time that the journal has published such a piece from a Chinese doctor.

According to Li, a doctor from Shanghai’s Renji Hospital, she composed the poem after learning that a third medical team sent by Shanghai would head for Wuhan, the then epicenter of the epidemic, on January 28. She was moved by her colleagues and all medical professionals working on the front line and quickly wrote the poem.

She translated the poem into English and sent it to Chest, an 85-year-old medical journal:

Fighting the novel coronavirus together with you,

This winter was too long.

Why was the cloud blocking the sun?

This winter was too cold.

You left your home,

You were too hurried to say goodbye to your son,

Worrying about something when you turned around.

Your parents are aged,

And your children are very young.

You were conducting clinical trials and writing papers,

But you have made a choice,

To struggle for a free breath with your courage and a golden heart.

I saw you in Fever Clinic and Isolation Ward,

Pale, exhausted and trying so hard.

You winked at me,

And told me to be brave like an iron.

Oh, my sisters and brothers,

You are my sunshine.

I am touched beyond words,

I would like to share responsibility,

For healing the wounded and rescuing the dying.

You are Hippocratic’s tag-along,

I am here with you.

Impressed by your sweat and strength,

I believe love makes the world a better place.