Not that he was light on his feet before, But Twinkle doesn’t dance anymore. He doesn’t talk a lot, and when he does It’s jumbled and mumbled, we make a fuss Trying to understand just what he means Up/down, left/right, yes/no, joggers/jeans When once he’d clear a buffet in a blink He won’t eat his lunch, let alone drink. He made mowing look easy, I struggle And instead of him I’m the one the dog cuddles. As wobbly as me on ten pints or more Inevitably we’d both end on the floor Always clean shaven has turned awry With a full blown beard it’s another guy Sat watching the same **** telly New fancy chair and slightly smaller belly. Twinkle gets grumpy when there’s a cannula to insert, Doesn’t trust the nurse when she said it wouldn’t hurt. Breathing was easy for Twinkle last year But not so now, it’s why we’re here Waiting for a bed in a place where there’s plenty, The problem is that none of them are empty. Doctors a-plenty and many nurses too, The only thing lacking is something to do. In Game of Thrones jammies he sits in his chair, He says he’s hot rather be in underwear Or anywhere I think, just not on this ward As everyone here is terminally bored.
A poem I wrote whilst visiting my Step-Dad in hospital, thinking about how his illness had effected my life and his.