Impersonation Poem by chandra thiagarajan

I was in the hospital bed
Ailing with wheezing and exhausted
Actually, it was past mid- night
And there was no bright light.

Suddenly there rose a big drone
From a patient—it was her groan
She was in the sixth bed from mine
And yelled “Doctor, Doctor”—all the time.

I sent to her my attendant
To inquire about her requirement
She wanted nothing but just the “ Doctor”
And wouldn’t acquiesce with any other factor.

All patients were disturbed from their sleep
None could bear to see her weep
I called for the in-charge nurse
But her reply was resigned and terse.

The Doctor was in another (ICU) ward
With a serious patient tackling him hard
She further said there wasn’t anything wrong
She just cries for attention for all to throng.

I myself went to the roaring patient
And consoled her to be patient
I told her—“don’t worry, I’ll go personally
And enforce the Doctor to come here, surely”.

Armed with the sister’s stethoscope
And a torch, I headed to the patient with hope
As an authentic Doctor’s kind custom
I patted her and inquired of her problem.

As she took me for the Doctor without any doubt
She asked me where I’d been and cried her heart out
And said none was taking care of her ailing chest
Though for the Doctor she called and cried her best.

“Only the kind lady (pointing to my bed) over there
Took pains, ” she said “and brought you to me to care”
Allaying her perturbed mind with soothing words, to rest
I swore she’d soon be alright after the test.

I played the Doctor, examining her, best
With the stethoscope on her chest
Asking her to deep breathe now and then
And again on her back as if to see with perfection.

I examined her throat with the torch
And peeped into her eyes as if to intently watch
“I shall give you a good tablet, swell “
Patting her, I said, “you’ll soon be well”.

I walked to the nurse for the medicine kit
Requesting for the harmless tablet –Gelusil—the game to hit.
I asked the patient’s attendant “Water a bit”
And administered the tablet with it.

The patient held my hand and pressed
Thanked me profusely, though—so stressed-
I made her, with tranquility, to lie down
Thus diffusing the situation to melt-down.

All were aghast, when I was back
The nurse too was surprised with the knack
All the other patients vented a sigh of relief
And blessed me for tackling the crying patient as the Chief.