Limbo

they parade through the hostile check-in,
the entrance
wrapped in grey,
shrouded in silence
a mournful dance in limbo
daily

sad, expressionless faces,
there is nowhere else to go but here,
the destination one,
the departure unclear
delayed
daily

they wake in her unquiet presence,
wait
her restless peace,
agitated
they promised she would go
lingering
daily

her weakened lungs
shattered and battered
a cloak
of smothered ash
weak and heavy and tired, thick
her every breath
saturated and hungry
a struggle, her lungs
held open only by the machine
now turned
off

awaiting take-off, exit
daily

each breath a hope of final rest
each breath a reminder of impending death
on-going
delayed
daily

Competing interestsNone declared.

Provenance and peer reviewNot commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

Source: Medical Humanities - February 21, 2017 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Ando, V. Tags: Poetry and prose Source Type: research