Old Aunty Anna’s Illnesses Poem by Daleen Enslinstrydom

When the horse and carriage enters the farmstead
the old farmer stands anxiously in the blazing sun
to greet the doctor
and with his hat in his hand
he looks discourage.

“Thank you doctor for coming all of this way
and you know that my wife has
prescribed bed rest for herself
for many years
due to the vapours, whims, caprices
sham-fever and the trembles
but now I am afraid that she is really ill.”

In the darkened bedroom the doctor
is astonished by all the small bottles
full of home remedies
and all of the Lennon medicines that is available
and he smells the odour of Vicks
that hangs in the air
and she looks pale and worried at him
and carefully and concerned
he asks about her health.

With her hand touching her head
and then her stomach
old Aunt Anna tells trembling
of her severe suffering
but after the examination
the doctor does find nothing wrong with her
and he prescribes exercise
and getting some fresh air and sunlight.

Old aunty Anna starts to cry terribly
as what does a new young doctor really know
about an old mother’s suffering,
worries and sorrow?

When the doctor is gone
old aunty Anna says loudly to herself:
“Does that man have no respect
for someone that is deadly ill? ”

With his hat in his hand
the old farmer waits
until the doctor gets back on his cart.
“Doctor, you know that my old Anna’s grave
has been dug many years now.”

After greeting the farmer
the doctor shakes his head
and realises that the grave
will have to wait for many more years.