Login
|
Join PoetrySoup
Home
Submit Poems
Login
Sign Up
Member Home
My Poems
My Quotes
My Profile & Settings
My Inboxes
My Outboxes
Soup Mail
Contest Results/Status
Contests
Poems
Poets
Famous Poems
Famous Poets
Dictionary
Types of Poems
Videos
Resources
Syllable Counter
Articles
Forum
Blogs
Poem of the Day
New Poems
Anthology
Grammar Check
Greeting Card Maker
Classifieds
Quotes
Short Stories
Member Area
Member Home
My Profile and Settings
My Poems
My Quotes
My Short Stories
My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder
Soup Social
Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us
Member Poems
Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Random
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread
Member Poets
Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest
Famous Poems
Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100
Famous Poets
Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War
Poetry Resources
Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Email Poem
Your IP Address: 18.223.188.252
Your Email Address:
Required
Email Address Not Valid.
To Email Address:
Email Address Not Valid.
Required
Subject
Required
Personal Note:
Poem Title:
Poem
Martha was rudely awaken on Monday morning With the phone call we all dread “Mrs Palmer we regret to inform you That your husband Edward is dead” She thought that it was tactless The way she had been told Couldn’t they have said ‘passed away'? Instead of being so bold She dressed in her Sunday best It took her ages to get ready But she wanted to make an effort For her dear, departed Eddie When she arrived at the hospital She was taken to the ward Attached to the bed on a bulldog clip Was Edward Palmer’s medical record Edward was lying in the bed He just looked like he was asleep Martha took his hand in hers And she began to weep The patients in adjoining beds Said staff had had to disinfect Because Edward had taken short Had they no respect? Martha sat at the bedside and said “My husband has passed away” The patients resumed watching TV And didn’t know what to say A nurse arrived and said “It’s a shame that you weren’t here When he was asking for you It’s a pity you don't live near Don’t worry though cos I was here He didn’t die alone Whenever we tried to phone you All we got was an engaged tone” Martha suddenly remembered The umpteenth pointless phone calls To the lazy ‘cowboy builders' Meant to be pointing her garden walls Every time she phoned them It wasn’t any use Sometimes her complaints would be met By an endless torrent of abuse The nurse jolted Martha from her daydream By tapping her on the shoulder She glanced down at Edward And noticed he suddenly looked years older Martha said “I’ll be lost without him” And the nurse gave her a wry smile Then said “Some people will be coming for Edward In just a little while He’ll have to be moved Because we really need the bed” Martha recalled the other day A pillow still bearing the shape of a deceased patients head Martha said “I feel so lost I don’t know what to do” The nurse put her hand on Martha’s shoulder and said “The receptionist has something for you” Martha kissed Edward's forehead And said “My darling I must go I just hope you knew How much I loved you so” She wanted to remember Edward When he was full of life Now she was a widow No longer someone's wife She waited in reception Listening to the constant chatter She wondered how long she'd be waiting Though now time didn’t matter The receptionist slid the glass aside And placed a plastic bag in Martha’s hand She could see it contained Edward's spectacles and dentures And in one corner his gold wedding band Martha returned to an empty house And received not a single phone call Of condolence or sympathy Just one from the builders about pointing the wall
CAPTCHA Preview
Type the characters you see in the picture
Required