In the empty exam room
Silent without
Nurse, doctor, patient
Taped next the blank computer screen
Only an out of date schedule
Bears witness to fear.
In the empty exam room
Serene basic beige walls
A tan waxed smooth linoleum floor
Struggle to keep the bugs away
Purity and immortality
Improbable and impossible.
In the empty
Clean
A working table
Place
Body, heart, soul
Wait until
The exam is over.
In the empty exam room
No windows to see
The wind blow
The birds fly into the sun
Who can believe
In hope
Confronted by death?
The possibility of hearing
Without privilege
The impossibility of healing
Without love
Or insurance
In the empty exam room.