In Hospital

A poem depicting a scene in a hospital room

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

This poem is part of the NaPoWriMo 2024 challenge to write a poem a day in April. This is the prompt for April 16.

Today, we challenge you to write a poem in which you closely describe an object or place, and then end with a much more abstract line that doesn’t seemingly have anything to do with that object or place, but which, of course, really does.

The sterile walls seemed to close in as

Machines hummed with a steady rhythm.

The scent of antiseptic mingled with the

Smell of spent flowers brought by well-wishers.

Soft sunlight filtered through the blinds,

Casting a gentle glow upon the room.

Nurses spoke in hushed voices,

Reverence for death’s delicate dance.

The woman in the bed, her face etched with

Lines of years and pain smiled gently.

Loved ones gathered around, whispering

Prayers of intercession, asking for a miracle.

Her regrets wilted as a moment of gratitude bloomed.

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