He was in hospital
for a short op
a one day event
and then home

the nurse said
if you could undress
Mr Hawkins

and put on that gown
on the bed
and so he looked around
and got to the bed

and she drew
the green curtains
around him

and he stood there
and began to undress
and folded his clothes
and put them on a chair

and put on the blue gown
which did up
at the back

and stood there
wondering what
to do next
how long would

he have to wait?
he lay on the bed
and opened the book

he'd brought to read
his back ached
his hips too
how long would he be?

a nurse drew back
the curtains
and said

I need to take
your temperature?
can you tell me
your name please?

he looked at her
in her blue two piece
like a motor mechanic

rather than a nurse
what happened to those
neat uniforms?

he wondered
name?
she asked again
Mr Benedict Hawkins

he said
she ticked her list
date of birth?

he told her
how much
do you weigh?
she asked

he told her
she ticked her list again
she put a thermometer

in his mouth
and took his wrist
and looked
at her watch

he looked at her hand
her fingers
holding his wrist

the thin white fingers
the pink nails
he looked
at her ears

not too small
or large
no earrings

no small holes
where they might
have been
he studied her lips

wondered who
kissed them
if any

she took out
the thermometer  
and shook it
with a lovely

wrist action
and gazed at it
then she put it

in her top pocket
just above
her left ***
or impression of such

and she looked at him
you're 3rd on the list
she said

OK
he said
and off she walked
her swaying behind

like some gay mechanic guy
going back
to the pits

no lovely
neat uniform
or black stockings
encasing cool legs

or black
sensible shoes
or tidy white

headdress
to set it all off
just a trained
nursing mechanic

in the blue two piece
nothing to inspire
another look

so he opened
the pages
of his child
psychology book.