Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Me, my father, and the angels

Hope Atlas
Livingston, New Jersey, United States

Black and white drawing of three angels drinking tea
I’m Home by Jeniffer Guilherme. November 2019. Published with artist’s permission.

The handle of the dresser drawer talks to my father while he sits in bed
Whenever he likes he can conjure up the face of the dresser drawer
with its pointy ears, droopy mouth and metal earrings
The angels are coming
He laughs, pointing at the dresser drawer
They are singing, “It’s time to take me home.”
I hand him his tea
Tell me a story
He points at the dresser drawer again
We laugh
I tell him I hear singing
I see the angels around us
It is beautiful


HOPE ATLAS has been putting pen to paper since the age of fifteen. Writing is her lifeline and her voice. She writes her story through poetry, quotes, and memoirs. She has a master’s degree in reading education from Syracuse University and has worked with children and adults. For many years Hope worked as a bereavement volunteer. Most recently, she has devoted her time to caregiving her aging parents. Her writing has been published in the online journals: Anti-Heroin ChicThe Moon, Highland Park Poetry, Snapdragon: A Journal of Art & Healing, and Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine.

Fall 2019

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