@article{Hennings_2017, title={Because I Did Not See}, volume={11}, url={https://ars-medica.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/228}, abstractNote={<p><strong>BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE</strong></p><p>By Deirdre Hennings</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>On sait connu les Café Des Trois Colombes </em></p><p><em>au rendezvous des amours sans abris… </em></p><p> </p><p><em>We know</em> <em>the Café of the Three Doves</em></p><p><em>The rendezvous of lovers without refuge</em>…</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Joe Dassin’s lyrical melody washes over me</p><p>recalling our joyous summer in Montreal,</p><p>compelling my limbs to</p><p>lift and linger in the evening air</p><p>timeless again</p><p>dancing for him as I used to</p><p>warm and sweet, sensual and smiling.</p><p>We kiss tenderly</p><p>before I paddle off to make toast.</p><p> </p><p>But before I sense anything</p><p>he barks that it’s burning.</p><p> </p><p>I pop up the bread—</p><p>untoasted, I see nothing amiss—but it’s too late.</p><p>His over-chemo’d body slumps</p><p>as he holds his stomach,</p><p>pain clouding his face.</p><p>“Why do you always do this?” he cries.</p><p>But I did nothing</p><p>except fail to notice an errant</p><p>drip of soup waiting on the toaster top to burn.</p><p> </p><p>Now he is nauseous again and the evening is ruined</p><p>because I did not anticipate</p><p>because I did not see.</p><p> </p><p> </p>}, number={3}, journal={Ars Medica}, author={Hennings, Deirdre}, year={2017}, month={Feb.} }