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August 7th 2003
Main Entry: 1quar·an·tine
Pronunciation: 'kwor-&n-"tEn, 'kwär-
Function: noun
Etymology: partly modification of French quarantaine, from Old French,
from quarante forty, from Latin quadraginta, from quadra- (akin
to quattuor four) + -ginta (akin to viginti twenty); partly modification
of Italian quarantena quarantine of a ship, from quaranta forty,
from Latin quadraginta -- more at FOUR, VIGESIMAL Date: 1609
1 : a period of 40 days
2 a : a term during which a ship arriving in port and suspected
of carrying contagious disease is held in isolation from the shore
b : a regulation placing a ship in quarantine c : a place where
a ship is detained during quarantine
3 a : a restraint upon the activities or communication of persons
or the transport of goods designed to prevent the spread of disease
or pests
b : a place in which those under quarantine are kept
4 : a state of enforced isolation
As I have stood helplesly by, I have
had to put my feelings on hold and carefully quarantine them. I
have had to maintain the mask of calm.
My emotions are in a state of enforced
isolation and the words will not flow.
See that top middle draw! That is where
I have put the nagging doubt that this treatment might not work,
that modern medicine might fail us.
In another draw are the haunting fears
of living alone after thirty four years, of not knowing who I am
if my soul mate is not with me.
Like Pandora's box I dare not open these
drawers now for fear that hope might fly away.
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