Artist Statement:

I wrote about an experience I had while rotating in a dermatology clinic from two different points of view. During the encounter, I observed a patient undergo a skin biopsy to confirm nonmalignant skin cancer. The patient was very afraid. He had an exchange with his wife who was in the room, and they spoke in Spanish. They were not clear about his diagnosis. All they understood was that he had cancer. I stepped in, letting them know I spoke Spanish and would like to help answer their questions by translating. A huge sense of relief washed over them which is something I will not forget. In “The Interpreting Moth”, I wrote from my perspective as the medical student portrayed as an “observing moth.” I chose a moth because, just like medical students, they are typically not wanted in the room even though they are not bothering anyone. In the end, the medical student translates for the patient, and he has “untwisting of his tongue” because he can finally ask his questions and “untwisting of his false beliefs” because he no longer believes he will die from this diagnosis. Lastly, I wrote the poem in an unrhythmic manner to represent the chaos in the room in the beginning. When the crowd disappears, I change the writing to a more rhythmic flow to represent the tranquility after the crowd leaves and everything falls into place.

— Tanya Magana, University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, Class of 2022