On Receiving Bad News By Telephone

last night late at ten o’clock no less a telephone call from my cardiologist ‘we’ve just found a mass in your lung’ Oh *****I thought all I need. My dear wife distraught ‘I’ve only just began to feel optimistic no longer will your heart give up. Now this am I strong enough to go through this again? I cannot bear it I might lose you.’ next day I sit in my study thinking outside by the window a bush climbs I think a Berberis red berries home to thrush frequent visitor he’s appeared today I look out at him and he looks in at me he bobs his in thanks I guess for the berries he’s just selected will his great grandchildren come to visit when I’m gone will they sample the berries will they know to look for me how would they know that I’ve gone