Doctor

Man stands there in his pyjamas, looking at the doctor.
Doctor has power and dignity. Man is afraid.
Man asks doctor to help him.
Doctor looks down, and reaches for his bag.
Man coughs.
Doctor hides his face and smiles.
Man cannot is afraid.
Doctor talks to man, who feels small.
Man thanks doctor, leaves, and wishes he was dead.

This is how the world works.
I wish it was not the case. But I’m sorry. I am only here for the money.

Amended 1 May 2005

Think of the past

Think of the past –
Think of holidays, of days in the sun,
resting, laughing,
playing.

Think of the joy in the eyes of the others
Watching the laughter
the fun, the games and the
happiness
that ended
as life began.

Amended 20 April 2001

Jack

Jack looked at window.
Moroe stroked his head. Incessantly.
And Jack stared.

In the afternoon, she brought him
some chocolate, and sat,
eating it with him.

The night was beginning to fall, so
Moroe closed the curtains. But Jack
didn’t care, he just continued to stare.

On Tuesdays Moroe went to town. She
always told Jack the shops she’d visit, and he’d
listen to her when she returned.

A slight patter of rain. The door opened,
and Father came in. “Hello old boy”
he said, and sat down.

Jack had seen his father before, and perhaps that
was why he didn’t turn round, just stayed, staring
at the window.

“I’m going to leave here. Leave town. I can’t do this any more”
Moroe sobbed into the check of Jack’s father’s
jacket. “I understand” he said.

And Jack kept a brave face
and stared, at the rain-soaked window
like tears running down the glass.

Yorkshire in 1984

Yes lad, of course you can express yourself through
the wit and beauty
of the spoken word.

I trust you,
and value you,
and want you to succeed.

Can I, your humble old Dad, help you?

Fill your pen with ink?
Fetch paper for the typewriter?
Find you a dictionary?

And no,
no of course
I wouldn’t tell you to stop.

We might be starving here,
sonny boy,
and desperate for
money and for
help,
but we need to hear what you have to say.

Amended 20 April 2001, 11 January 2003