Where Am I?
 
I opened my eyes in apprehension and fear
As to where I was, was not very clear.
I felt confused.  Everything was white
And I looked around wildly for clues to my fright.
 
Stuck in my arm was a needle and tube
Attached to two bags on a pole where it stood.
Where am I? What's happened to me?
I tried to get up but I couldn't get free.
 
What's the matter? My legs were like lead.
I was overcome with a sense of dread.
I tried my arms but couldn't reach my face
Then I saw that two straps held them in place.
 
Overcome with panic - I started to scream
But heard only sounds coming from a machine.
It had a steady beat with a swooshing sound
And as I looked at it, I became spellbound.
 
For attached to the machine was a small blue hose
That came across my arm and then my eyes froze.
It was attached to my neck - something held it in place.
Tears formed in my eyes and rolled down my face.
 
I felt a chill of terror. What did this mean?
Why can't I remember and play back the scene?
A nurse came in and walked over to the bags.
She replaced one and wrote on its tag.
 
Then she turned to leave. Don't go; hear my plea!
Dear God, where am I? What's happened to me?
Just when I'd lost all hope of keeping her near
She turned around and saw my eyes filled with tears.
 
She patted my hand, said I was doing okay.
What happened to me?  My mouth tried to say.
I felt my lips move but could not speak.
As she gently wiped tears that flowed down my cheek.
 
She called me by a name that I could not concur.
What's happened to me? My mind is a blur!
I rolled my head back and forth in a terrified frenzy
Afraid and confused about my own identity?
 
The nurse left the room with a sense of haste
But returned in just a moment looking very grim-faced.
Oh God, I'm so scared. Wait! Don't give me that shot!
Tell me what's going on -- then everything went dark.
 
When I opened my eyes, there were two boys in my room
With fear in their eyes and a sense of doom.
Mom, we've been waiting for days, you gave us a scare.
But seeing you now proves that God heard our prayers.
 
Their faces were familiar yet blurry in my mind.
Maybe I will remember if I just give it time.
A vision of terror flashed before my eyes
I was driving down a highway and saw the semi.
 
It pulled across the highway right in front of me
And as we started to collide - I heard myself scream.
Oh God, how long have I been here?
I looked at their faces trying to hide my own fear.
 
Poem by Carol Barton
Copyright 2005 ~ Carol Barton
 
 
 

Note to readers:
 This poem was strictly written from imagination.
When I first started writing, I checked out a book.
The author would give lessons to write about a certain thing.
This poem was written from a lesson to write about
what it would be like to wake up in a hospital room. 
Six months after I wrote this poem,
I met up with a semi in the same place
on the highway I travel every day to work. 
 I had to gear my car down as fast as I could into 1st gear
and come to a complete stop to keep from going under the trailer
that was sticking out in my left hand lane. 
I couldn't go to the right lane as there was another car there.
Was it premonition?
God only knows but I don't write poems like this one anymore.
 
 
 
 
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