5 South

The man in 563 keeps moaning O God
But not as if he expects an answer

The man in 564 lies on his side –
An oxygen mask and the slope of a shoulder

565 has a bright orange sign
                   Droplet Precautions
       Visitors Report to the Nurses Station

The man in 566 is Kathy’s father
He breathes and sleeps
I watch the rise and fall of his sweater

I ponder his investment advice
And his earnest pronouncement on goozles

Loud hacking coughs somewhere down the hall

Nurses laughing Happy New Year

Old men are a lot like babies –
Useless legs and purple balls

*

Three days and eight transfusions later
He rolls onto his side
Pisses into a cup
Says to his grandson
“Sam             this is the life”