The image above is a prompt for today’s Wring 101 assignment. There was a choice of four visual prompts, and I was attracted to the one which had a boy jumping towards a rock. I thought I knew what I was going to write, but this poem came out instead. I’m not happy with it, but there must be a reason.
I would like to say at this point that this is fictional, as far as I know.
every day someone comes to wake her
in silent white shoes, crisp and efficient
with cheery smiles and lively words
“How are we feeling this morning Sarah?”
“Lets get you freshened up.”
with reasonable care
they wash her, dress her, breakfast her
change her wet, reeking sheets
transfer her to a wheelchair
and deliver her to the dayroom
lifting her into the waterproof seat
she doesn’t feel the warm urine as it trickles
rinsing away the vestiges of fragrant soap
her brain an empty grey garret
the window closed from sound and all but
the distant flickering images
of her distant flickering life
©Jane Paterson Basil
Making it write 