Poem: The Doctor – 01/08/20

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The doctor gestures me in
towards his consulting room,
and I, I am like a tentative child
who is out of place in this foreign world.
 
For I have not seen this doctor before,
why, I cannot even recall, let alone pronounce 
his complicated name,
I had fronted to the desk claiming I had an appointment,
Who with? I cannot remember, I replied sheepishly,
somewhat embarrassed, but not with one shred of shame.
 
I am here for an assessment,
to reduce my high level of medication,
to view what can be done,
I’ve been on this strong cocktail for so long,
it can’t be good for my liver and kidneys,
let alone my precious mind which ticks me along.
 
He introduces himself,
asks various questions,
I look around the room –
professional, well-kept,
even water to quench any nervous thirst of mine.
 
But my mouth is not dry,
I answer the queries as they arrive,
though there are some questions which grate upon me
for with some specialists, I don’t like oversharing.
 
I want to keep certain things to myself,
it takes time to build up trust, you know,
how wryly amusing I find this because
with the world I could be sharing my words
and now I am hesitant to even emit my own
before this esteemed doctor.
 
This doctor, he means well,
he is professional,
every step of his method is 
well-rehearsed and natural.
 
This doctor, I am warming to him,
in fact, I’d like to return to have 
more sessions with him,
to have him as someone on my professional team to
look after me.
 
Time is up,
I didn’t even know how long we had had,
but I feel a developing rapport,
I vow to learn his name, 
to be able to recall it in my head,
because he will be important, I feel,
in the future, in my life,
I would like him to manage and analyse
certain parts of my health and mind.
 
Doctor, dear Doctor,
thank you for taking the time to see me,
I greatly appreciate your slotting me in,
I look forward to when I can see you next,
when more work upon the task at hand can begin,
to have found you, 
I feel blessed.

© 2020 Lauren M. Hancock. All rights reserved.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

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