Do you see
That P wave; is that AFib
or something hiding in the T wave,
a deceiving premature atrial complex

I look

Do you see
the mitral valve's anterior leaflet
blithely high fiving the septum
in systole, the audacity
of that systolic anterior motion

I look harder

Do you see
that compression, but during only systole,
of the myocardial bridge
masquerading as severe stenosis

I answer
with a hesitant, silent head nod
to my unconvinced attending

Do you see
those variable V-V intervals
before those awkward pacing spikes;
it captures fine but isn't sensing

I wonder
in a room full of fellows,
does everyone see it but me?

Do you see
post-PVC
the spike and dome of an increased LVSP
with a narrow arterial pulse pressure
of that mouthful
Brockenbrough-Braunwald-Morrow

I take courage
and say, no, I don't.
Can you point it out again?

So that I can truthfully say
to myself, next time,

Yes, I do see it.

This article was written by Christine Shen, MD, a cardiology fellow at Scripps. Twitter: @iconsideritjoy.