CHEST Guidelines-Sharp-Points

Sharp-Points_chest

Pdf Summary

The poem "Sharp Points" by Judith Bader Jones, a former psychiatric nurse turned writer and photographer, explores a poignant childhood memory involving themes of conflict and loss. The narrative unfolds as a vivid recollection of a moment when her father, safe from the physical ravages of World War II due to a rheumatic heart, encounters German prisoners of war confined in a Missouri farm. These prisoners, captured from the battlefields and now tasked with agricultural labor, represent a haunting reminder of the ongoing war. The scene captures a moment of unexpected humanity and shared vulnerability as a package of Lucky Strike cigarettes transitions from Jones’ father to an enemy soldier, bridging the divide of a barbed wire fence. This gesture underscores the frailty and commonality inherent in all men, regardless of the sides they occupy in war. Later, while her father’s barn houses livestock like milk cows, the prisoners endure confinement in a farmer's barn, a contrast to their lives of warfare. Decades after these events, the poem reflects on the ironies of fate and mortality: the same “lucky” cigarettes that once facilitated this small communion eventually imprison the father's lungs with cancer. Through this narrative, the poem touches on profound themes of war, peace, and the often-hidden costs of choices and habits, culminating in personal loss. This encapsulation of historical and personal memory is framed under the guidance of the medical publication, CHEST, as a reflection on both past and present medical concerns, particularly the impact of smoking on health.

Keywords

Judith Bader Jones

Sharp Points

childhood memory

World War II

German prisoners

Lucky Strike cigarettes

humanity

fate and mortality

war and peace

impact of smoking