Six weeks in,
if there is progress, its hard to see
The doctors talk to the nurses in an animated way
but their voices are hush when they talk to the family
(it's not what they say-- its how they say it)
The other families share encouraging stories
but in the elevators they shake their heads and
look at the floor
A friend of friend came to visit, but didn't stay long
visibly shaken, not able to get within arm's reach of the bed
"He's not contagious" said his mother
embarrassed, he left quickly
his text to a neighbor on the walk to the car:
theres worse things than being dead
The presence or absence of stimuli: part five