Carl Buchwald
Pain Scales

AwardRed Ribbon

SchoolTrinity High School

CityGarfield Heights, Ohio

TeacherMary Anne Kovacs

InternMarissa Rose

MediumPoem

Writer's Statement

My poem contrasts two patients: the first on pain medication and the second using alternative therapy, namely music. The main piece is written in two subdivisions which originate from the minds of both speakers. I wanted to stress the negative aspects of using pain medication, which include physiological dependence and mental detachment, while accenting the benefits of using an alternative method of treatment.