The Carol of the Pulmonary Capillary

(tune “Do You Hear What I Hear”)

Written by: Dr. Kent Van De Graaff

Said the trachea to the little lung

“Do you see what I see?

In this body warm, little lung.

Do you see what I see?

Some blood, some blood running through a vein,

Wanting oxygen to gain, wanting oxygen to gain”

Said the little lung to the bronchioles,

“Do you hear what I hear?

Coming from the heart, bronchioles,

Do you hear what I hear?

The AV valves closing happily,

It’s time for systole, It is time for systole”

Said the bronchioles to the alveoli,

“Do you know what I know?

In your tiny sacs, alveoli

Do you know what I know?

RBC’s are bringing CO2

They wish to exchange gas with you

They wish to exchange gas with you.”

Said the alveoli to the molecules,

“Listen to what I say.

Little oxygen molecules,

Listen to what I say.

Squeeze through my simple squamous epithelium

Then grab on to a hemoglobin

Then grab on to a hemoglobin.”