In The Waiting Room

Let me introduce myself
My name is suicide
I live in the shadows
Just at the back of your mind
You’ll probably never meet me
Sometimes I'm on posters
Usually in your doctor’s waiting room
You may glance at me
Put me to the back of your mind
That continuous cough
Your main concern today
Sure you’ll get better soon
Now we come to the other guy
I’m at the forefront now
Doesn’t seem to be any alternatives
No introduction needed
No explanation required
Sometimes we have a trial run
Just to see
But really our mind is made up
The poster stares right at him
Taunting, asking what he’s thinking
What is he thinking
The same thoughts as yesterday
The day before yesterday
Today
Tomorrow
The cough would have responded to antibiotics
But it was never really about the cough.

Reviews

[DEESINALEXIS]

IN TH EWAITING ROOM IS A METAPHOR FOR SO MANY THINGS GONE WRONG WAY TOO SOON...SUBTLY DEEP AND VERY PROFOUND...I LIKE IT

[Neville]

Proud to say that having worked as a clinical specialist in mental health for over forty years until I retired a few years ago (early, I might add) I never once had a patient kill themselves. My best friend did though. A brave write indeed.......Neville

[Paul Bell]

Yeah, I think we've all known someone who has committed suicide.

[marilyn 1225]

yes know the feeling not the action great job and ending is perfect

[Paul Bell]

Thanks Marilyn. Sorry to have met in those circumstances.

[Jacob Clifford]

You've made a very strong statement with this piece. The topic is very relevant, and you presented it very well.

[Paul Bell]

Sadly it is one of those topics never out the news.

[Jimmy Yetts]

Sometimes, life appears to be the longest death.
Unsettling piece, Paul!

[Paul Bell]

Yeah not the nicest one.

[.]

I am familiar with those distressingly gruesome posters!

Even though i am not one to visit the Doctor often, i can relate to this write. Too often it is the obviously evident illness that gets treatment and not the hidden internal one that taunts from the recesses of the mind.

A very relevant piece of writing. Nicely done.

[Paul Bell]

Spot on. It really is the hidden illness.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is sooooo good...reminds me of a line in an Anne Sexton poem...it is about how suicides wait, and we store them in the cupboard...like a can a soup...eventually we will use it...

no, it's never really about the cough...

[Paul Bell]

Think you summed it up perfectly. When is that time the cupboard opens.

[Matthew Kult]

Mentally Unstable

Interesting write

Matthew

[Paul Bell]

I suppose we're all that way at times.

[Matthew Kult]

Indeed

Matthew

[Island Hippy]

Confronting write, such ‘signs’ are littered all over the place when one actually takes the blinders off. I do love your angle Paul, really well done sir! x

[Paul Bell]

Told you to go to a cheery poem. lol

[Einstein Noodle]

chilling Paul! so many warning signs about our health and suicide ...dire and true ... too much of anything will get ya ...not enough of some basics the same ... suicide is as cancerous as a malignant tumor ... lots of help out there for those suffering but the stigma and guilt still keep those suffering by themselves ...and the tragedy is that family and friends may look back and say "i knew something was wrong....i should have seen it coming" ... there are signs and symptoms eh?!
:( sobering thoughts sir
E.

[Paul Bell]

I think with some, they're definitely signs to see.
Some others just take your breath away. I suppose we just don't know what's going on in people's minds.

[Einstein Noodle]

:( ........................