The Hospital Window Poem by Randy McClave

There was an old man in a hospital room
Lying in his bed, sad and lonely and full of gloom,
He had no television to watch any show
So, he asked to have his bed placed next to the window.
He then looked out the window for many long hours
He would always tell the staff of the beautiful flowers,
And as he laid there both happy and content
Him being there to no one did he hold any resent.
Then one day another patient was brought in
Happily he explained that he finally had a roommate at the inn,
The new patient told the old man that he had a broken back
From a climbing fall which his back did crack.
The young man told the old man how he loves all the outdoors
Now he is stuck in a room not between hills, but floors,
Then the young man told the old man that he'd be there for awhile
The old man then told the young man he'd be leaving soon with a smile.
Everyday the old man told the young man what he saw
As he looked out the window with excitement and awe,
He told the young man of the beautiful flowers in the park
And then the stars and the full moon always at dark.
In the morning he would always describe the children playing
Sometimes on blankets on the ground many couples were laying,
He could see the squirrels dashing up a tree
And he would always describe the different birds flying free.
Every now and then the old man would see someone on a bike
And sometimes he saw someone taking a hike,
The young man enjoyed hearing all of the scenes and stories
As it reminded him of his many past glories.
Then one day the young man returned from his weekly examination
Then in confusion he asked the aids for an explanation,
Where is the old man with whom the room he shared
For the old man, the young man had truly cared.
The aids told the young man that the old man had died
The young man then cried,
Then the young man told the aides that by the window he wants his bed
He wants it placed there now, because sadly the old man is now dead.
Now he will look out the window as the old man did for him
It will hurry up his healing, as though going to a gym,
Then when the young man opened up the window he had a surprise
Shock and then confusion came to the young man's eyes.
The young man told the nurse all that he could see was a giant brick wall
There was nothing more for him to see, nothing more at all,
He told the nurse of the flowers and the people the old man did describe
And the pond and the hills into his mind the old man did transcribe.
The nurse then walked to the window and then closed the curtain
It was time for the nurse to tell the young man a fact for certain,
"Sir", "the old man before you was being very generous and kind"
"Sir", the nurse said, "the old man was blind".

Randy L. McClave