so I’m standing there
with my mother on the ground
fallen from height
faceplant
onto the concrete
waiting for an ambulance
my father wheels up
wheezing like Vader
emphysema
and a totally enclosed
self-centre
says
how much rain
did you get
last night
I’m looking at my mother
lying full stretch
she’s stopped bleeding now
but you can see where her head
kissed the brickwork
oh
about 30 mils
he says
yeah?
well someone I know
said 31
so
that sounds right
my mother says
oh
oh
where is the ambulance
won’t somebody
help me now
oh
oh
oh
I hold her hand
pat her head
try to put a cushion
underneath
to support her
and what about
he says
what about
this health insurance
should I drop it now?
we won’t need it
anymore
it’s so expensive
I don’t think
we can afford it anymore
my mother
looks like she wants to say
something like
oh
woe
oh
won’t somebody help me now
oh
woe
I’m in pain
and so
I’m standing there
after the fall
before
the ambulance
and I don’t know
what to say but
oh
woe
oh
can someody
help me now
© Frank Prem, 2017
April 2017 Poem #14: seeing through
Frank Prem Poetry 
I have to ask if this is based on a true experience?
I hope not …. but still, I think you have captured the sometimes very odd conversations that happen in certain circumstances, where one party, usually someone from a long standing partnership or marriage, is almost, well, oblivious to what’s actually going on – whether it’s something joyful or painful – and they carry on is such a nondescript fashion – and as witness and 3rd party participant, it gets to be really odd ….
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Verbatim as it happened Pat. Only excluding the confused distresses that followed when assistance arrived.
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Oh dear – I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope everything turned out well, without serious harm or injury.
Definitely not a pleasant experience all around – but I’m sure you were able to keep a calm head.
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It’s just the way it is Pat, and ended in a little story/poem. What more can we ask?
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true …. still, having spent my life around people who have physical limitations/disabilities, never mind dealing with just plain aging, it can be tough to process.
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Never get old. It’s not for the faint hearted.
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LOL – no kidding; and no, I’m just laughing because your comment caught me by surprise.
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I read one by one its really outstanding…
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Thank you – glad you’re enjoying them still.
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As always
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