I am back on the ward
after Philip took me out
to dinner in a restaurant
with the others
Nurse Kavel
undresses me for bed
I look at where
I think she is
with my blind eyes
was I good?
I ask
yes you did
very well
she says
her fingers remove
the red dress
and pull it over my head
then I sit there
semi undressed
balancing on the bed
feeling with my fingers
the aching leg stumps
legs hurt?
She says
yes a bit
I say
she finishes undressing me
then puts on my nightdress
I am on my back
staring into darkness
as she rubs my stumps
and unfolds the bandages
then re-bandages
them slowly
she talks about
the night out
and how well I did
were people
looking at me?
I ask
of course
she says
but they couldn't see
your leg stumps under
the red dress
then she has done
and is gone
and I lie alone
looking at darkness
I try to put together
the various words
and conversations
that went on
around me
putting lips to faces
that I couldn't see.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem