The ICU

“No,” I said, “please just let me go –
I’ll be better off sleeping in my bed.”
As he put the needle in my arm
And told me to lie down, he said;
“You’ve got pain in both your arms and neck.”

Like tearing off the feathers from a bird –
Like seeing nothing but dark cloud on sunny days –
Like accepting an award you don’t deserve –
Like a fight that will not – ever – go away...

The haze belonged elsewhere, not with me.
I’d spent my time here once and long before.
External locus of control was just a phase –
No chance of knowing what would lie in store...

My hand reached out and hit the doctor’s face –
A sure sign I was feeling better now.

“Tomorrow you’ll be moved from ICU.”
With tubes in place, I mouthed - an inaudible;
“Thank you.”