What Lies Beyond
It used to be the main entrance
An imposing cathedral space
Stone and glass and grand dimension
An echoing Victorian portal
Giving admittance to the wards beyond
The smell of death and strong carbolic
Now modern made-over
With sensitive deployment
Of smart synthetic surfaces
Creating a contemporary feel
Pastelled walls of recent artwork
Imposing copper sculptures
Conversation pieces within the information hub
A crowded hubbub of comings and goings
Busy, active people thronging
The global-branded café outlet
Seeking soothing lattes and mochas
Or a convenient power point
To recharge their mobile devices
To draw some sustenance
To catch the wandering wifi signal
And connect wirelessly
Jacking in to the web
Or gently cruise the shopping mall
The range of vending opportunities
Of outsourced concessions
The thrum of retail activity
Bees within a busy hive
A brightly down-lit arcaded atrium
An open meeting-space
With colour-coded signage
In a font of retro-vibe lower case
Indicating the way out
That leads from Waiting
Into the hospital itself
Where poorly people lie bed-ridden
Hooked to monitors and machines
Wire-connected
Jacked into tubes and treatments
Losing their vital steady signal
Absorbing drips and drugs
And leaking body fluids
Seeking diagnosis of condition
And prognosis of their future
And amid the wounds, illness and injury
There is tension and anxiety
And a rarely-distant fear
Of suffering and dying
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