Images Of People

Images Of People

Images of people, with worry and fret,
Waiting their turn, for treatment to get.
After registering name, age, next of kin,
Sit on painted cheap chairs, made out of tin.
Yes, made out of tin; "vandal proof you see,"
Even hospital reception is not vandal free.
Varieties of people, come every day,
Sit one seat apart, have nothing to say.

Images of youth in dishevelled dress,
Dirty 'Nike' shoes, uncombed hair, a mess,
Never alone, there's two, three, or more,
Talk loud and coarse, throw litter on floor.
Nip out for a smoke, a gasp they must have,
Then, 'Coke' can in hand, it's into the 'lav',
Where screwed paper twist, for 'fix' time is now,
Is opened to sniff. 'Balls'!, to probationary vow.

Images of mother, who brought in young James,
In loud whispers she scolds him, for playing rough games.
With slow tears and whimpers, he bears well his pain.
"Never lad, never, will you play with that lot again.
When your leg's in a cast, and off school you must be,
I'll lose time from work; you'll be a nuisance to me."
No sympathy gets he, from this modern Mother,
Her thoughts so selfish, are with latest lover.

Images of aged, loving, old husband and wife,
Never apart (War time excepted), all of this life.
Hold hands, and anxious of what the Doctor might say.
"Please tell us the truth, with words do not play,
We need to know, we find strength in each other,
We have faith in God, and our Holy Mother.
Please Doctor, whatever, you must ease Bert's pain,
We know life is passing, but we will meet again."

Images of people, whatever the weather
Necessities of life, bringing opposites together.
All creeds, colours, and some foreign voices,
Not wanting to mix, but having no choices
Life in the raw, is so basic and mean,
Pain is the spur, which created this scene.
Treatment completed, wounds now will heal,
Images go hazy. Were those people real?

Copyright Brian Kelly 4th. October 1997