In A Safe Place (Revised) Poem by Margaret Alice Second

Return to quiet, empty room glowers contagiously
filled it with flowers and laughed at Tiaan’s absurdly
outrageous satire; he says losing a patient to care
for becomes the greater shock, I regret mistakes
made giving guidance to help Carine to heal

Began reading ‘How To Be Motivated All The Time’
where Peter Daniels explains the importance of
setting long-term goals; at the moment I am numb,
cannot take in a subject like this, motivation gone,
I feel oh so tired

My one chance to make a difference in someone’s life
is ended and I cannot say whether my efforts aided
rehabilitation, I miss her presence bringing extra life
and sound, an ambiance that made vibrant
expectations shimmer

Though I know it is time for the patient to tackle
life on her own my heart cries that it is not right,
she is not ready yet, while my mind says she will
never be ready if she stays comfortably
in a safe place forever…


[ORIGINAL]

A sudden return to quiet, filled the empty room with
beautiful flowers, laughed at Tiaan’s absurd satires
losing someone to take care of comes as a shock
I regret all the mistakes I made in giving guidance
to help Carine to heal

Started to read How To Be Motivated All The Time
in which Peter Daniels explains the importance of
setting long-term goals, at the moment I am numb
cannot take in a subject like this, motivation gone
and I feel oh so tired

My one chance to make a difference in someone
else’s life is over, I cannot tell whether my attempt
was good enough, I miss the extra presence that
brought life and sound into the house, though it is
time for the patient

To tackle life on her own, my heart cries that it is
not right, she is not ready yet, while my mind says
she will never get ready if she stays in a safe place
forever…

“How To Be Motivated All The Time” by
Peter J Daniels - 1987 House of Tabor