Stobhill - by
Yes, I agreed to perform the abortion.
The girl was under unusual strain.
doctors and nurses
Eye Chart - by
T H E E Y E C H A R T I scowl towards his voice. He says the mapmarks how far vision goes. If I could creep up close I’d learn the journey. His technique restricts me to a chair so he can track how far I travel down the chart alonebefore I pause. […]
Let Me Not - by
Let me not be tempted
/ to talk incessantly about my illnesses;
/ the love of rehearsing them has become too sweet.
/
/ And more…
Neurology Outpatients - by
The consultant’s room
/ a gallery
/ exhibiting the scans;
/ my head
/ an apple sliced,
/ my core on public view.
/
/ To launch the show
/ an invited few
/ stand round, comment
/ on…
GP Talk - by
Her GP told her, it’s important
/ to start looking for special accommodation
/ for when the time comes.
/
/ Parkinsons makes her slow…
Why Did You Become A Doctor? - by
I originally wanted to be a witch
/ Sitting inside a Leiden jar
/ In the pathology museum.
/ My fallback application
/ Was to be one of…
X-Ray - by
Some prowl sea-beds, some hurtle to a star
/ and, mother, some obsessed turn over every stone
/ or open graves…
Precious 10 Minutes - by
The GP stands at the door of his room,
/ shakes my hand, asks me how I am.
/ I always smile and say…
This Is Bad Enough - by
This is bad enough
/ So please …
/
/ Don’t give me
/ gobbledegook.
/
/ Don’t give me
/ pages and dense pages
/ and
/ “this leaflet aims to explain ……
from ‘Playing God’ - by
10. A note of warning to patients when all else fails
/
/ Sometimes the needle is too blunt.
/ The stethoscope is too quiet.
/ The…
These are the Hands - by
for the 60th anniversary of the NHS
/
/ These are the hands
/ That touch us first
/ Feel your head
/ Find the pulse
/ And make your bed.
/
/ These…
From the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh - by
My only talent lay in these.
/ My father rubbed his hands together,
/ stared as though their whorls held codes
/ of thirty years obstetric…