Hospital a Trip
 
Doctors love dis-, ever notice?  Iiii-eeee,
dis-ease, dis-fO-ree-a-mumble mutter. Need t’DIScuss
the – big doctor word coming, you’ll see –
ramifications.  Could be a wee mite of discomfort,
ahem ahem ahaw.   They also love little,
time and you have to. “Don’t be dismayed.
Remember you have to give it time.  Er, more
than a little.   No cure, of course.  But.
Adore but.   B u t with the right medication,
if it can be found (note “I” has left the building) –
we may – nuts about may as in just may, just might --
control your symptoms. Symptoms  middle-class
polite. Unlike that actor-upper, Pain.
You are in charge, white coats smug. O-kaaaaaaaay.
Friends take turns whispering, There’s this pill,
if only I could remember the name.  Remember,
God never burdens us with more than we bear.
Any minute, a hawk will fly down and dip its wings
so you can fly above the clouds u are hoping dope
will paint between sucks of Caution! Oxygen! and tubes
that hiss.  Time.  It is time, did you hear someone say?
Lift??   STOP.  SHTOP. . .little late, Doc. . .Doc?
Doc?  Docdocdoc.  Forget all those things I said.  
Float me to Planet Else where symptoms are fading
bouquets and comfort never heard of dis-, an’
I will hail your name with furbish–. . .whash yer name?
So many doc’sh, so many dis-shezh, so l’il
. . .li’l, li’l. . backwardzh?  bakwerz?   96-95-....9'....
Whash my name?  Shink ish on ish  cu’e  li’l  brace-shlet
Nursh Shothapp’ ga’ me.  Got  nummers  on it,  shee?   
Doc?   Get me outta  here and I’ll be goo’, I promish,
Gon’ take sharge o’ my pai–. . .awiiii’,  dish-comf’.
Are gon’ sen’ me home wif  th’shtuff yer pipin’ in m’vein?
Come on, jush a li’l.  Litt-ttul.   Shee how aler’ I. . .am. . .
Daze me ag’in ‘n’ you can dish- me all you. . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .H e l l p.

(c) Phyllis Jean Green

     N: This is a revised version of a poem that appears in my new chapbook, Above and Below.  Pudding House is the publisher;  book should be available in February, 2007; as I recall, the original poem was published by L'Intrigue a couple years back.  Title was Hospital was a Trip.  Hope you like it!

     N2:   L'Intrigue is published by Thunder-Rain Press.  They have published a new anthology that is more than worth reading.  All proceeds from In the Eye go to Habitat for Humanity for Katrina relief.