In Mueang Narai Hospital (August 2014)

Never sicker I told my young Thai doctor;

he may have made a note but said nothing.

Three days later, even worse, I’m sitting

on the edge of narrow bed unable to touch

the floor, and getting a bed bath by a nurse

while Chunky’s 18 year-old daughter keeps

me from falling.  My head lolls from side to side.

I know this room, but not the rooms on floors

above or below.  A hundred feet outside there’s

mini mart selling Lays and things I know,

but otherwise I am lost.  Illness and death

are contractions, a getting smaller and smaller.

Never sicker I tell my Thai doctor on his rounds.

But when I try to throw words around how I feel

I say it’s the agony index to this illness I can’t

bear.  His English is fine.  He looks down at me. 

Maybe he understands me, maybe not,

but he says nothing.

FG 9/6/2014

www.ForrestGreenwood.blogspot.com

Lays potato chips.  They are the same as in the US and almost a synonym for snack food.

This is a small hospital in Lopburi which is about an hour from Chong Khae.