The visit

Enter and immediately it smells of
feeble bald salivia jilting death
Receptionist: Yes? Oh room number 52 on left.
Walk ignore muffled screams cheap pastel wallpaper bulletin boards
glance up see him pace the halls fly unzipped hands groping rail
will anyone save his soul?
avert gaze don't stare at the helpless dying no ones
labeled door medication clipboard is all that identifies another living corpse
they were once loved
find the number it was on left breathe deeply
step inside her mechanical bed next to another
curtain partition two dressers calender clock mounted needlepoint "Jesus"
she recognized me the wide gaping mouth and raccous moans indicated
flailing her one controllable arm she envelopes me in an embrace
my face presses into the pillow that smells of
end shampoo tears plastic resignation
communication commenced of wild gestures toothless smile chuckle groan
-Yes life has been good since I saw you last sorry it's been so long to visit but
you know how life gets away from you-
Clear eyes gaze into mine in response that yes life does get away from you if you allow
the scream of humanity to drown you in its insatiable relentless
-And the family is well and sends their love youngest is now in first grade going to school
boy do they grow up fast-
Expression pitying says that yes they do grow up fast and why don't you quench
your greed of self indulgence and invest into his life loving kindness understanding
-Certainly nice to see you after so long must go now I'll sign the guestbook-
She watches as I take the small spiral bound notebook and make my mark
next to the precious few others who hell took their time to drop in these seven years
snore like a rifle shot from the sleeping dying no one in the next mechanical bed
a nurse enters with a tray of pills painkillers laxatives stimulants insulin death
another embrace clasp and desperate arm about my neck
then pull away she pours into me an appeal come back again come back again come back again
step into the hall with down cast eyes glimpsed him still pacing
determined despondant mere purposeless
where is his soul?
ignore the smell of the
end
shudder through the press of hidden minds forgotten thoughts masked lives
only function mere form
they were once loved
Receptionist: Have a nice day
Hell.
Outside strikes the full terror of abondonment
please God don't hide my heart from me
please God take me now don't let them keep me a living corpse

Exit and immediately it smells of creation.