On the Ward

by

Mary A. Green

---

"I'm Don," he said, adjusting
The plastic tubes of my I-V
"I'll be your nurse for today."
Then served me fluid
Through the veins of my right hand
My mind wandered

Appreciating
That I was alive
And would thus be
A while longer yet
I sent up a silent prayer of thanks
To the POWER IN CHARGE
Of keeping track
then returned

"What did you say your name was?"
"Daw-awn," with a flourish
Flamboyantly
Stretching out the vowel
"That's as distinguished from..."
Here was a quipper
Groping for a quip

"Yeah," I offered, prompting
"As distinguished from a sunset
I suppose?"
Our wits were scalpels poised
"Are you an RN?" I asked

"Sure am," he said
"And that stands for real nurse"
He informed further
While showering the room
With blessings of clean linen

I leaned against the bathroom sink
Over a body wounded and wound
Trying to clear pallor and dishevelment
From an unrecognized
Reflection in the mirror

Later he washed my feet for me
In a basin of warm water
Perfumed with rose petals
From a soap pump on the wall And with this kind act
Made me feel clean and whole again

That's what Don did on the ward
When he was my AOM
That stands for Angel of Mercy
Real nurse