I often get unexpected visitors in the clinic.

Ozu bows and shows segments from Tokyo Story.

Poets of various stripes read theirs poems as offerings of empathy.

Writers will relate their novels to stories of migration.

 

I was doing a physical on a 13 yo boy entering drug rehab

as his mother watched.

He was an artist but what could I say,

an old man having heard too many stories of bad choices.

 

Then, Rembrandt showed up

with a bag of clothes from Mad Hatter Clothing Shop.

He took over and shapeshifted himself from

a young wide eyed, open mouth youth with tousled hair

to a bareheaded wide nose, smiling prodigal son

and, finally,

to a old man in a velvet cloak  with a sense of self knowledge.

 

We were dazzled by this gallery of self-portraits

as Rembrandt gave the young artist a written prescription

to draw during his 45 day program

a self-portrait everyday

and see what happens.