By Kate Alice
Waiting
Stuck waiting
Not for a bus, or a promotion, or my true love
Not for ice cream to thaw, or the microwave to ping, or the printer to print
“What do you do for a living?”
I wait
Aimlessly, cautiously, reluctantly
How to converse when my life is just waiting?
I’ve heard of others waiting
Lives on pause
Elevator music on Groundhog Day
“Please hold the line”… just don’t tie it in a noose
Simmering on the backburner whilst others are Wok-ing
Walking, rarely, just waiting
A never-ending queue, out the door, round the block
Trying not to forget what we’re queueing for
I’ve heard so many others don’t know we’re waiting
They can’t fathom the waiting
“Oh, like on tables? Good tips?”
Awful ‘tips’, please keep your ‘tips’
Well-meaning chip, chip, chips and pins you down
To doctors and all:
I’m sick
Of explaining, of complaining, of waiting
Hopeful
More hopeful
Not for a miracle, but for relief
Not for a cure, just yet, but for treatment
“What do you do for a living?”
I wait… for now
Purposefully, bravely, hopefully
I can converse on what’s happening, the start of the searching
Because I’ve heard of others looking
Lives tirelessly devoted
Upbeat music on Lab Results Day
“Please hold the line”… all our scientists are hard at work
Analyzing the bloodwork whilst others are scanning
Walking, more now, and hopeful
A moving queue, acknowledged, attended to
I won’t forget now what we’re queueing for
We’ll tell all the others we’re hopeful
Maybe they’ll fathom it’s possible
“Oh, you need funding? Here are some tips!”
Thanks for donating, for helping, for caring
Well-meaning drip, drip, drips and adds up
To researchers and all:
I’m hopeful
Thanks for looking, for listening, for sharing.
