Poetry - Melon-man

Halted and shaking she shuffled

Her arms constraining her insides

So they wouldn't fly apart
Into a room with no windows

Orange and vinyl and love seats and chairs

The smell of disinfectant had faded

And faded was the room

She sat and shook inside and outside

While saying the mantra “Stay present”

Minute after minute after minute

Until a crack of hospital light appeared

And came lumbering in was a doctor

With the head the size of a melon, large marble eyes, and huge menacing hands

There was a lot of “Blah blah blah”

Then the woman said “I want a bed”

“We have no beds” said melon-man

“If I leap across the room and grab you by the throat will you give me a bed?”

“Yes” he said succinctly

She channelled her mantra into thought, normal thought, and decided against it

Melon-man stared at her blankly

Then subtly he showed one huge menacing hand

And in a dream like voice produced a needle saying

"You'll feel better. I’ll check on you in one hour”

And glided like the Angel of Death through the solid door

An hour had passed when a psychiatrist turned the door knob

And gently came in the room

Where was melon-man?

Where were the large marble eyes?

Where were the huge menacing hands?

Why...was he wearing melon-man’s name tag?