NURSING HOME

First impression: Visitors must sign in.
Second impression: Wheel chairs and people.
Third impression: People watching people.
Fourth impression: Long corridors of tile.
Fifth impression: Nurses walking fast.
Sixth impression: Old people walking slow.
Seventh impression: Walking into your room
Eight impression: Semi-darkness.
Ninth impression: You.
Tenth impression: Wrinkles
Eleventh impression: We begin talking.
Twelfth impression: You offer me an orange.
Thirteenth impression: Announcements over loud loudspeakers
and you don’t hear them.
Fourteenth impression: You’re okay and happy.
Fifteenth impression: People looking into your room as they go by.
Sixteenth impression: A nurse goes by.
Seventeenth impression: I say I have to leave.
Eighteenth impression: A kiss goodbye.
Nineteenth impression: People in wheel chairs watching
as I push the elevator button.
Twentieth impression: Wondering as I drive home if I’ll
ever live to 88?
Twenty first impression: Will I be grateful and as graceful
as you are today or will I be someone
all want to avoid or forget?




© Andrew Costello 2007