During the course in Brussels one of the speakers said something that really struck me. In thinking about public health and emergencies you are presented with many numbers: 20,000 people dead, 12,000 displaced, 100,000 affected. To quote Joseph Stalin, which does seem somewhat odd in this context, he said, “The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic.” That sentiment pulled at my heart in a way I never expected. It is so easy to forget that behind each number that is quoted in a disaster, there are innumerable hurts; mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, who are experiencing the pain of loss. If I chose to work in this field my one fear is that I will forget that behind each statistic is a story and that it is those stories we want to rewrite.
That night after class I came home and wrote two poems. I don’t consider myself a “poet”, but it just felt like the way to best express how I was feeling. I’m sharing them with you because this topic means a lot to me and I hope it may eventually come to mean something to you as well.
Victims lost to Statistics
So much pain
But it is hidden
Behind the numbers
Which numb us
Cries are silenced
Becoming entries
In a database
Meant to teach us
Faceless statistic
You have a family
Tell your stories
Always to remind us
Desires Limitations
Loss so great
We cannot imagine, though we try
The pain you feel
The empty loss and sorrow
It is only yours to bear
We cannot help, though we try
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