Doctor's Waiting Room - Aug. 18, 2026

old man, head slumped

sits in a chair

legs between his walker

his breath tells the story

chest flex on the inhale

big sigh with the release

more than most here,

his suffering must wait

I wonder if it comes in a moment,

the voice that whispers

life is too much, just let go,

or need it get louder

almost shouted

before it’s heard?

I slip past him

glide with a nurse

to a back room

my wellness exam quick,

painless, my blood’s marker

for the kidneys, a little high

he’s gone when I return

though my questions linger

at his empty chair

as I turn to leave

I tell them to come along