Waiting
The search for a place in the car park
The waiting room heaving with patients and family
The crash of the ubiquitous vending machine
As the sickly sweet colas, and chocolates fall
To eager hands, the sugar breaks the boredom.
More anxiety rises like bile surging up, I try some
distraction. I listen to the weary small talk of the others.
Try to quiz the mobile, messages from well- wishers,
words to quell the anguish in the mind.
Pick up a glossy magazine with healthy, glowing
Photo-shopped celebrities, their blue-white smiles
mocking the grey –green patients with wan looks of pain.
The long corridor buzzes with nurses and auxiliaries holding
folders with details of your body, the x-rays, the scans.
The body ravaged with age springing new dysfunctions
Hoping to be healed and smoothed for the next few months,
Till the next visit.
.
Leela Soma is a Scottish-based writer who was born in Madras (former name for Chennai) in India, and now lives in Glasgow. She writes novels, poetry and short stories and publications include ‘Twice Born’, ‘Bombay Baby’ and ‘Boxed In’.
Abegail Morley 
You captured the wait perfectly.
Yes, I thought so too.
Such thoughts crop up in many minds but few get to pen it!very nice