You drive an hour that she hates, in a car that moves too fast too far too often
Once a week to doctor B who watches the way the arrows move
says no rhubarb and no milk and no sugar
You ask him about food. She doesn’t like it any more
and he says try this for Now
As you leave he asks has she had a head injury?
Now runs out
Doctor B says it is Beyond Him
She stays home
She stays home
She is pleased about no more driving too far too fast too often
with her eyes on the hills going past
and she lies down
To specialist C
A paediatrician
who measures this and that
takes more blood
finds Nothing Untoward
To the nurse (no angel) when the doctor is not there
who says it’s about time you snapped out of it my girl
it’s all in your head
after nine months of lying down – it’s time to get up!
They don’t
perhaps some more
perhaps some more
More
*
No spirit lifts
A small knife lifts
in her hand
It’s not a bad bleed really
They find her in her room
with her pink cellphone
– whispering 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111
*
She says she is having none of this or that
She says she is sick of it all
the feeling of not getting up
and the feeling of not getting up
and not knowing where up should/could be
and down is a faster, quieter place
The knives are taken away, taken away ha ha