Eye Hospital

THE EYE HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM

BY JUDITH JOYCE

Sitting in the waiting room

Waiting for my turn

I see a lot of different things

That sometimes makes me burn

Some people are so impatient

They keep jumping up and down

Worrying the nurses

Who try to calm them down.

“Why do I have to wait so long?

One man kept calling out

I have an important meeting

So get me in and get me out

Some people watch the telly

Other people read

Some talk on their mobiles

While others have a feed

Why are they not like me?

And bring something else to do

Then they wouldn’t get themselves

Into such a stew

In the time I have been waiting

I’ve written two stories now this poem

I get much more like this done

Than when I am at home

Why waste time just sitting

And fretting about the time

I do something useful

Like making up a rhyme

Time goes much faster

When you have something to do

It helps to keep your anger down

Stop you from getting blue

They say there were six people before me

That was about three hours ago

So why am I still sitting here

A why are they so slow

I have filled up all the paper

That I have brought with me

Now I writing on their pamphlets

And finding it very hard to see

Four hours have passed still sitting here

Three pamphlets I have filled

Still five people in front of me

Oh heart of mine be stilled

 

Now my pen is running out

What am I supposed to do?

They say there are four more to see

Now I am getting in a stew

I find a half chewed pencil

That will keep me going for a while

But if I have to wait much longer

I will really lose my smile

My hand is cramped my eyes are dim

I can think of nothing else to write

By the way they are going

I will be here for the night

At last I hear my name called out

The doctors’ consultant I can seek

He examines my eyes then tells me

I have to come again next week.