Isn’t it dreadful, you said, that you have to
Mind the pod, couldn’t take a full shower
More so with malfunctioning Libreview
BG levels bounced up every hour
The NHS has made staff cuts, optimized
The equips for type 1 diabetes
It’s clear enough that controls were relaxed
They didn’t reveal much of details
Some money was saved, some people died
Struggling to manage the faulty tools
For 29 years you’ve been winning the fight
But you lost to hypocrite fools
Who’ll never be punished for hidden crime
And whose crime will be never proved
Isn’t it dreadful, love, for you and I
To belong to this mean humanhood?
I am certain that I am unwell.
A swelling golf ball
Lodged deep beneath my skin
Makes sure of that.
The floors of Ward 6
Are mirror-clean and sterile,
A nature-coloured chessboard for
My bare toes to quietly tread.
I have no flowers, no visitors,
But home comforts in the form
Of trinkets and beloved books
Ease my mind.
It seems the courtyard is a patient too,
With its thin white blanket
And icy cold stillness,
Surrounded by tired staff.
Time does not exist in Ward 6;
The drip in my arm is my hourglass,
The window to the right my sundial,
And sleep my way of resetting the day.
I am aware of my wardmates.
Often I listen to their shallow breaths
And wince at their pained calls for help
But polite conversation evades me.
There is a camaraderie,
Kindness shared in a smile from bed to bed,
In a New Year's Eve wish
As our numbers deplete.
I am no longer in Ward 6.
Two days was time enough
To rest, to heal, and to observe
Tired people carry out tiresome work.
The NHS ~ so many memories
But mostly of my children being born
And love and opiates, both made to ease
The pain that wakes a body up at dawn
You open up the curtains for us, mop
Our blood up, help our babies take a breath
Hold hands over our hearts until they stop
And close the curtains quietly when death
Comes in the evening. Can I thank you for
The many things that you have done for me
The medicine, the extra mile, and more
For me, my neighbours, and my family ~
And all the people only you have known
Whose hands you held and didn't die alone
© Gail Foster 5th July 2023
To want to love
To love to care
To care enough
Enough to share
To share your time
To play your part
To care enough
To give your heart
Nurse the sick
Soothe the pained
Day after day
And finish drained
Take courage, strength
Love and share
To care enough
Enough to care.
On the rise, as you approach our local Hospital, there's what's left of a homemade 'We 'heart' the NHS' banner.
Only now it's just a pole with a piece of crumpled, red stained sheet falling from it.
The bloodied flag of a battle sadly lost.
COVID -19
Irrespective of what your size is
You are not immune to Coronavirus
So stay at home is sound advice
As you may lose at the throw of the dice
Man, woman or child, it does not care
So dice with death...if you dare.
This evil curse is here for a while
He conducts his business with artless guile
To offer the path of least resistance
You must be sensible and keep your distance.
This is not a disease to be treated lightly
And one that will not go politely.
Before he does he will take his toll
Of thousands of humans and not trouble his soul.
If you are lucky enough to escape his scythe
Consider how others managed to survive.
Often by the unselfishness of the NHS
Those doctors, nurses, carers we will forever bless
If it was not for the unselfish acts of public health staff
There could many more treading a one way path.
Arlene Phillips 2020 (c)
Covid the invisible killer
spreading its ugliness throughout our world
Outside a place we no longer go
and the sun beats down tempting us
Virus damaging lives
taking our loved one's showing no mercy
Invisible where are you?
lurking around every corner-waiting
Death for the vulnerable and weak
how many will you take before you leave?
COVID 19- God Bless the NHS
Into the battle into the war
Like hero’s that had gone before
Caring and Courageous , passionate and calm
Our shining stars are fighting hard , to keep us all from harm
Selfless and committed , they are where they belong
Critical invaluable , they keep the front line strong
Without their skills and knowledge the virus will invade
The NHS will fight until the progress has been made
So spare a thought for all of those who nurse who clean who plan
Show respect and give your thanks and help them if you can
For wars are won with people standing side by side
So Do what’s right whats needed and we can turn this tide
The scale of this is frightening it’s really off the chart
But Together we can beat this although we are apart
That man mountain of love
My dad
Hands calloused
Tattoo's faded with time
a joy to be with
There to wipe away my tears
to make things better
My mothers right hand man
an empty wallet
but a heart that was full of love
i see him sat upon a kitchen chair
plastic framed glasses courtesy of the NHS
overalls covered in oil and mud
watching over me
time as passed
and so as he
but i still remember them days
time as slowly ticked away
the days the months the years
its now me whos sat upon that chair
with an empty wallet
looking at the world through
NHS prescription glasses.
I count my strides
Since I know how to ride
The idea is to figure out a problem
And if I do it with grace, I can honestly say I got em.
With every fence I take
I really hope I can make
Since a rail goes down
Everybody in the arena will have a frown
But when I do it clear
What do I hear?
But the clapping cheers
Of those enjoying being here
It is the Grand Prix with fences so high
That my horse and I
Will hang on tight giving it a nice try
After everyone goes
It is off to the jump off to see who is best in show
Where the spectacle turns into a race
If all the fences stay in their place
So, after the class presents a winner
We go enjoy dinner
Reflecting on what was done
And knowing it was quite fun
Building bricks
Brick by brick we build our nation
And stone by stone we build a generation.
The children are the future, the old our voting class;
The young have given up voting because politicians have no class.
Building new laws and building new houses;
Nothing this government does smells of roses.
Leaving the EU seems like it will come back to haunt us.
Rosie is in the hospital, the NHS is seeing closes.
Sack them all because they choose money over patients;
Every generation loses faith but nothing ever changes.
So they plant a tree as they knock down a forest;
Stop with your lies, just give it a rest.
Let the people vote and then try to take the decision back.
Politics, dirty tricks; power of conviction you lack.
Money rules the world and money changes hands;
Ideology and philosophy, but still you have no master plan.
(C)2016 Aa Harvey. All Rights Reserved.
Went to St Richards early today
Had an appointment so that was okay
The problem is this; I went in with a hernia
But when I came out... I had hyperthermia
Whilst no radiator did radiate heat
And I was laid out like a chilled cut of meat
The staff got abuse from a quite irate geyser
‘I'm going to Iceland to sit in the freezer’
They prodded and scanned me right down to my toes
And broke off the icicle hung from my nose
They asked if I'd registered my next of kin
I said, ‘That's her there with the goosebumpy skin’
When they lifted my gown and asked me to cough
They snapped what they thought was an icicle off
The chill numbed the pain as they whipped off my wheener
So I went in as Terry and came out as Tina
I ponder at the mirror hanging on my bathroom wall
dreams shatter as I gaze upon an image once so tall.
Yet it is you in there in this life I had to become
with youthful mind to witness the epidermis succumb.
To absorb this reality a portrait of reasons
unlike nature’s call humanity breeze through the seasons.
A flower grows and fully blooms then taken at its best
should this apply to us all it would save our NHS.*
© Harry J horsman 2018
Flashing lights, and men in green.
Rescue a man from a crash scene.
Angels greet him at the hospital doors
he must look like a victim of some great war.
X rays taken wounds are dressed
All his ailments are put to rest
No insurance premiums or bills to pay
The good old nhs as saved the day
Mums in labour, grans in wards
Paupers or members of the house of lords
Matters not your place of birth
Your reputation or monetary worth
The nhs is for us all
So, its great big Happy birthday
From us all.
I look to the day when they species is endangered,
When Cerebral Palsy as a condition is almost extinct,
When there’s other disabled people to interact with,
When our existence is teetering and on the brink.
I know researchers and scientists will cure the condition,
In two hundred years time or so by thought and deed,
By ingenuity they'll cure the brain damaged neurones,
When let us move and control our output and feed.
I hope my descendants will be far better off for me,
No matter where they come in the timescale of drugs,
In the timescale of effective surgery or treatment,
To reconnect the cerebellum and neurones, the thugs.
If you ask a believer for their confidence and hope,
They'll say god, faith, healing prayers or reverence,
But I say believe in doctors and the health service,
Trust in nurses to gain your wellbeing convergence.
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