TRIAGE AT A AND E
by Tom Leonard
Dedicated to Dame Ophelia Mountshaft
THEY'RE WAITING FOR DAME OPHELIA
AS THE PARAMEDICS TAKE HER IN
PAINS ALL OVER,
TOO MUCH PARTYING
THEN DOWN THE STAIRS IN A TWIRL
AND AWAY TO LITTLE FRANCE IN A WHIRL
THE TRIAGE IS LIKE A HUMAN ZOO
AND OPHELIA IS DUMPED IN A CHAIR
LIKE THREE OTHERS TOO
BUT WHEN THE NEEDY DISAPPEAR INTO THE NIGHT
SHE TO A BED IN AN ALCOVE IS TAKEN, QUITE UPTIGHT
NURSES AND DOCTORS APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR
WHILE OPHELIA IS FOR AN X-RAY AND CT-SCAN SENT.
THEN THE ENLIGHTENED CONSULTANT MATERIALISES
FROM OUT OF THE WALL
"WE NEED TO OBSERVE YOU OVERNIGHT,
MISS MOUNTSHAFT," SHE SAYS,
"HOPEFULLY NOT FOR THE LONG HAUL."
"I LOVE THE SMILE ON YOUR FACE,"
REPLIED THE DAME OF THE GARTER,
WITH AN ARISTOCRATIC SNIFF.
"THANK YOU FOR SHOWING SUCH GRACE."
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