the patient routine by luna rey hall
Minnesota author/poet Luna Rey Hall’s books to date include LOUDEST WEN STARTLED, SPACE NEON NEON SPACE, NO MATTER THE DIAGNOSIS, and now THE PATIENT ROUTINE. The poems have been published in important journals and anthologies. Note – the author prefers all lower case spelling, including their name. so please forgive the capitals used here.
The immensely intriguing story evolving in this book is actually a long poem format, a technique that enhances the theme’s revelation. Quite cleverly the ‘chapters/sections’ are titled by times in a day – from near 3 AM to just after 4 PM – and the primary character Ashton opens the story as follow: ‘they say our greatest fears are manifested/ right before we slip into sleep./ that twilight period of consciousness./ those brief moments when you aren’t entirely sure/ whether you’re still awake./ when you’re most vulnerable./ people often say they can’t fall asleep/ because they’re mulling over worries./ their stress./ their anxieties./ tonguing them into a ball in their mouth./ little dab of gum chewed to death,/ well, I don’t sleep either…/’ This poetic format intensifies the impact of the journey Ashton is initiating and experiencing – a 19-year-old college sophomore pondering self, life, death, and possibilities. The course of this story has been condensed by the author: ‘Ashton is convinced they are dying. whether it be from cancer, heart disease, or a fungal infection, they know something bad is always about to happen. after a night of health-related panic attacks, & urged by a voice in their head, Ashton decides to check in to the ER again but when another patient is brought in with an unknown ailment that puts the entire hospital on lockdown, Ashton may be trapped in their worst nightmare.’
A fascinating, at times disturbing, suspense-filled tale related as a poem, allowing empathy and understanding of a patient’s response to self, the hospital milieu, and fears, this book is fascinating and immersive as an exploration of a mind searching for answers about self, hospital medicine, death and more. A masterful creation that deserves a wide audience.
