There is something life changing about time in a room where some of the patients will return only for a final time. As it happened, three of us survived.


all fours

lying flat in a hospital bed
wired up plumbed in
every lead and cavity occupied
the world seems made of fours

the corners of the bed
the square meals
the corners of the ceiling
the number of patients

eavesdropping on conversations
I could not see
hearing neighbours
I had yet to meet

listening but unheard
hearing but unseen
our time passed by others
we are though

awake
anxious
aware
aching

battered
bruised
bewildered
by
cold
comfort
caring
caresses

dismally
dreary
dreading
dying

empty evening
early ending

forlorn
fearful
forsaken faces

glowing glimmers
gleaming gladly

heart held hands
hoping

inner instincts
innately indeterminate

joyfully joining
jostling jesting

kindred
keen
kindnesses
kindle

living love
loving life

may mercy meet me
now
no
not never

overwhelmingly opening
overwhelming openness

patient
pious
piteous
peace

quietly questioning
quiescent
quick

refreshing
remembering
romance riven

silence seeking
solitude subtly

tender
tolerant
tearful
touching

voluptuous
vibrant
vivacious
venal

why
wondering
why
why

x x x x

yes
yearning
yes
yes

Zion

are we all voting
for Zion
or are we simply
on the road to nowhere



Poetry by Peter Humphreys The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 756 times
Written on 2007-12-15 at 10:51

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this is so full of meanings...the pain of this obsession for number four, so cleaverly pointed here, as if it was the ultimate element of reality...i would dare to say i loved the poem, but i admit the message brought me sorrow...the truth is that we so often clutch at every small thing that makes us feel alive...wonderful and deep writing here, dear Peter!
Lilly xxx
2007-12-17


Kathy Lockhart
this is powerful! the structure, the messages in one, two, three ... words, the order in disorder, the emotions welling up, images wow the images. applause.
2007-12-15


Rob Graber
PS: I find a poem in your very striking intro:


as it happened

there is something life changing
about time in a room
where some of the patients will return
only for a final time
as it happened
three of us
survived


What do you think?
2007-12-15


Rob Graber
Interesting, and neatly structured--all fours indeed!
2007-12-15