Bob Kimmerling Poet Narrative

Notes About The Poem

Retinal eye operations often use an inert gas injected to replace the vitreous in the eye and which acts as a support while retinal replacement heals. Patients are required to remain for a few days in a certain position, depending on where their retina is detached. Often pillows or whoopee cushions are deployed for the patient’s comfort while remaining in their appropriate and sometimes awkward resting position.

Mr Battiwalla's Eye

She enters right into the ward and ends the slumber of the night.
Sister is robust in voice, and broad in bust and shoulder. 
Regrets the man who told her, once, how best he might recover.

Ten timid men still further slip below the blanket beds,
and fingers grip night-loosened sheets pulling higher over heads.
When on the floor, now revealed, which through the night had been concealed 

- a pillow. 

‘Who dis pillow on de flaar!?” Not a question, more like a roar.
Silence, not a squeak. Not a man there with courage left to speak.
Then spying in the farthest corner, her eye alights on Battiwalla.

“Mr Battiwalla!” Her cry cuts like a knife. “You in de wrong position!”
“Can’t breathe sister,” his feeble, faint reply. Just a plaintive whisper. 
“Mr. Battiwalla, we tryin to save your eye.
Not tryin to save your life!”

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Jan Allison May 6, 2020 at 8:59 AM what a fascinating tale Bob, great story telling:-) hugs Jan xx Bob Kimmerling May 6, 2020 at 3:51 PM Thank you Jan. There are some wonderful characters in our NHS and during my hospital experiences I usually encounter one or more. I think tomorrow I will post something which chronicles ten conversations overheard in ICU last year. Adapted but completely true. Thanks for your encouragement. Bless you Bob