Maude's Last Stand
Maude’s Last Stand
(Rage, Rage, Rage against the dying of the light - Dylan Thomas )
They put me on the second floor
Now uniforms pass by my door
Starched and stiff they bristle by
Sometimes I’ll catch the nurse’s eye
The sister speaks to her clip board
“How are we today then Maude”?
I’m a subject now for observation
A mess of mingled medication.
A bell is ringing, down the hall
A two-tone clock upon the wall
Says three o clock – no time to stop
The visitors begin to flock……….
I never thought I’d be alone
My husband died, the girls left home.
Now like a barnacle I cling
To any comfort life may bring.
A cup of tea, a bright sunflower
On summer days, a welcome shower
That after many months of drought
Rinses the dust and cobwebs out.
They moved me into my own room
A respite from the doom and gloom
Of patients sharing all their woes
Their ailments, pains and urine flows
The nurse brought in some irises
She said they carried viruses
The risk, she said, they could afford
Now that I was off the ward
You don’t need much to bring some joy
When every breath that you employ
Is wrought from lungs that had their fill
Of dust and dirt down at the mlll.
I turn to watch the changing sky
Clouds, like boulders, floating by
When they part, the evening light
Says everything will be alright …
Cancer’s not made me redundant
Life’s still vibrant, rich, abundant
From here the view, the view is stunning
Ready to go - the motors running ….
My body fails - but I’m not dead!
Not a full stop in a hospital bed
If you could hear the symphonies
The soundtracks to my memories.
Whether mountain, whether valley
Winding paths stretch far behind me
The pain, the tears, triumphs, fears
Milestones from the passing years.
The world still spins beyond my door
The rich get rich, the poor stay poor
Daisy’s blossom in the sun
Love still thrives when two are one.
The canopy of greens in spring
The blackbird when it starts to sing
The glaze of autumns golden glow
Winters frosts, its winds and snow.
A myriad of songs and scenes
A constellation full of dreams
I’ll be singing Nina Simone
When the Good Lord calls me home
Not yet a brass plate on a bench
I feel my hands and body clench
Let the coaster ride begin
I’m all fired up and buckled in!
I’m woken from my reverie
Now five o clock - it’s time for tea
The nurse then fills my heart with cheer
“Hello Maude - your girls are here” ….
Copyright © Mike Miller | Year Posted 2024
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