Joanna Gilman Hyde

My Bedroom 11:00pm

Once There Was A Doctor

Very set in his ways

He would prescribe for you

Bed rest for your days

Of feeling worse than shades of blue

So you would stay that way

To keep his grip

He’d hug you tight

To wish you well

Throughout your night

But all in all

It wasn’t worth the fight

He’d meander in

In the morning light

And manage nothing more

Than force your head to spin

One day this doctor chose a bride

He told her she was “honest”

She thought he was a rightly man

To alleviate her chronic

Pain but found herself

In him not tonic

Instead she found she had

No name

And sat around as best she could

To wash his clothes

Put away his books

This went on

For many a year

Until he slapped her

In the ear —

She woke to face him

Square head on

To battle out

Their dance

Till dawn

And still they dance

The dance of kicks

Each the other

To claim their licks