Visiting Time

Surrounded by cards, fruit and flowers
Visitors creep in wet from the showers
Patients sit up expectantly
Will it be Bill or will it be Bea?

Last minute sprays of favourite perfume
Wafting around all over the room
Look at the clock, ten minutes to go
But oh how they drag more than you know

Doors open wide as inside they flock
You can't help but glance once more at the clock
Yes they are here, well it seems to be them
Where are your specs? Get them out once again

Oh no! It's not him, you can see clearly now
The height is the same, the hair and the brow
Well never you mind, it's only just time
The bus could be late, that isn't a crime

Clock ticks away, where on earth can they be?
Do they not realise it's now half past three?
Maybe Bill is not well, but what about Bea?
It's now past four-thirty, she'll be having her tea

The patient slides down under the clothes
A tiny wet teardrop falls down on her nose
The beds all around only add to the pain
With laughter all around the tears fall again

Finally down under as far as she can creep
She closes her eyes and pretends now to sleep

Brenda S. Warhurst

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