Full Circle: Closing Ceremony Poem

The circle is now complete.
Lives have been changed.
82 people, 148 procedures.
The slow awakening toward healing
Yields small but noticeable gains:
A smile here, a lift of the head there,
An unbending of once curled fingers,
A freedom of movement for an arm, or two.
Each person now walks back into
Their village, their world, to discover,
However large or small, the meaning
Of the change...some may need to return.

The staff here at Unity Hospital now 
Bears the privilege, the responsibility,
To complete the miracle-- 
We at 5300 and 5320 and Rotoplast,
Team up with 3110, Rotary Clubs here at 
Firozabad and Agra Taj Mahal,
To ensure 
Continuity of contact,
Sustainability of support,
Lifelines of hope.

For skin graftings, weekly dressings for a month,
For fingers wired to prevent recurling, wires removed,
For staples, pulled out, and
For palates, new smiles!

For us, as we wend our way home,
Some of us may return,
ALL OF US will remember ALL OF YOU!

We are all one Rotary International team pledging 
Service Above Self
As we empower those in need.

We have been grateful to all of you
For the opportunity to serve:
Rotary Opens Opportunities!

Thank you !

Published by

Dr. Shope, the Wandering Scholar

Mime Artist, Author, Educator. Dr. Shope worked as a Science Educator at JPL for 15 years, earned an Ed.D. at USC, and is currently president & CEO of the World Space Foundation.