Evolving Emotions: Joy-Poetry

Six Twenty-Five

Hospital chatter comprised of hushed whispers

A cacophony of voices

And low sighs

Six twenty-two

A cart’s wheels squeaking through the halls

Maddening in its movement

Never ceasing

Six twenty-three

Machines whirring on the hour

The PA system’s jargon tumbles into the void

The clock ticks methodically

Six twenty-four

A girl watches

She smiles where shy lay

Extended by

Wires and cords

An IV drains her

But the creases beneath her eyes

The folded lines circling her mouth

Refuse to quit

She smiles triumphantly

Whether it is old wisdom written in her genes

Or young innocence that drives her face

Is unimportant

She smiles despite it all

Her body decays

With fatigue that makes the bones melt

Pain that drives pleading

She smiles

It’s unnatural

And odd

A peculiar display

In such a place

The human will

Falls apart

And yet finds contentment

Her pale eyes gaze at blank white walls

Her ears absorb the speech in the halls

She looks inward

To starry sky camping trips

And family movie nights

To swimming pool laps with rounds of Marco Pollo

The times when things were beautiful

Her parents will be here soon

Her brother and sister too

She smiles at the thought of six twenty-five

Almost to the parking lot

And through the revolving doors

They will be here

Beside her

To reminisce and laugh

About what once was

And could still be

Despite it all,

She smiles

Bright and bold

Because things have been beautiful

And will again

At six twenty-five