You lie here before me
Life in the balance
The wonders of science
The irresistible will power of nature
In battle
Sickness, silence, contemplation, flowers
The occasional bleep from a white machine
This is our new environment
A television in the corner of the room
But no desire to break the silence
What will happen in the next minute, hour, day?
What will life be like next week?
Outside frail autumn leaves cling to their branches
Spiders weave watery webs
Rabbits burrow beneath the bracken
Inside – masks, tubes, cables
Bland clinical cloths stretch across your surrendered body
But you’ve never looked so beautiful
I’ve never needed you more than I do now
My love for you has never been greater
The contemplation of what could be lost is on a scale I can’t comprehend
I’m utterly helpless
I’m so sorry that I can’t help you
I just sit on this chair
While you lie here before me
Life in the balance
The wonders of science
The irresistible will power of nature
In battle