She kept her eyes shut,
As nurse went about her busy-ness.
She kept her eyes shut,
Wanting to be left awhile longer.
To linger in dreams before the din. Monotonous routine of day screamed in.
She kept her eyes shut,
To stave off the relentless chatter
the nurse would rattle as soon as knew she was awake.
She kept her eyes shut,
And listened to metal clatter on metal,
Dull clank of glass to ceramic grazed.
The judder and jar of her bed as the head was raised.
Cover blown! Eyes open. Banter began,
As sheets were shed to be replace by crisper and cleaner.
Along with flurry of washcloths and water,
Made her cleaner too.
She shut her eyes against the blush.
That rose in cheeks, before
Night gown replaced and smoothed.
Teeth brushed and then her hair,
With daily compliment about colour so fair.
She kept her eyes shut.
As she was pulled forward to have pillows plumped.
She lay against the nurse's own plump lavender scented pillows
Which nestled beneath starched white uniform.
Laid back in place to catch,
by cough in throat,
the whiff of peppermint toothpaste and chewing gum,
Fighting with tobacco base note.
She turned her eyes and fixed their gaze
on open windows, curtains caught a breeze.
Detection of the world out there,
To be seen in and to see,
Experience and be part of,
But that wasn't her place to be.
She shut her eyes.
Her life was these four buttermilk glossy walls, white ceiling fan,
The starched smoky nurse
And the open windows, now fully draped.
She kept her eyes shut.
Yet, the tears escaped.
