Tuesday, February 20, 2024

poem

 PEG Tube

Demented and contracted

Cachectic stage before skeleton

Another stroke last week

Choking on her own saliva

Staring off to the right 

Imaginary windows or mirrors

Anybody’s guess

It won’t help her, I tried to say

But not with any conviction

The family insisted:

A feeding tube for nutrition

Mom needs it to get better 

The bite block framed 

Her swollen dry tongue

Her eyes watered.

Then glazed over 

I began to feed

The lighted black scope

Down her throat .

When it occurred to me

To wonder if anyone had asked 

If she was even hungry


2/20/24

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