I was listening

today,

I was listening as a nurse

shouted at one of the patients.

 

She wasn’t shouting in anger,

more, because she felt that he couldn’t hear.

 

Indeed,

He could not hear.

 

His hearing aids were missing.

Lost

Somewhere.

 

It was however odd,

that when, I spoke with him,

He seemed to hear what I said.

I didn’t shout,

I didn’t resort to pen and paper.

He could hear.

 

He was most upset about the loss of his hearing aids.

He was equally

frustrated

at his nurse-call being tidily

out of the way

and out of reach,

on the wall.

 

For a moment,

I imagined

myself in his place,

and was frightened.