Summer was the worst time to be sick,
tucked up tight in bed, restrained
by grandmother’s hospital corners,
bullied by the clock’s resonant tick.
The room was stifling, even the sticky
Lucozade was too warm to fizz,
and the fly too drowsy to buzz
and batter against the window.
Outside, neighbourhood children played,
lawnmowers droned and a hose sprinkled,
my grandfather whistled a jaunty tune,
and in the scullery, crockery tinkled.
For a while, soothed by calamine,
I almost forgot the itchy skin,
more perturbed by the itch in my head,
the desperation to get out of bed,
escape the sweat-drenched sheets
and the pressure pot of the room,
to run bare legged under the spray
soaking the roses that hot summer’s day.
Kim M. Russell, 26th May 2020
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: Make some room
Laura is our host for this week’s Poetics, with a quotation from Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own and poems that feature rooms by John Updike, Charlotte Mew and Imtiaz Dharker (one of my favourites), as well as one of Laura’s own.
For today’s poetry prompt, Laura asks us to conjure a room or rooms in the literal, functional, metaphorical, imaginary, or fantastical sense. There is no restriction on rhyme or style.
writing in north norfolk 
Vividly conjured with some lovely lines (bullying clock, grandfather’s whistle, lazy hot flies and the roses) and the changing rhyme scheme adds weight to the restless child
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Thank you, Laura. It was a strange time and still very clear in my memory.
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Beautiful poem thank you for sharing this.
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Thank you for reading and commenting, Sheree!
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I do love the hiss of those zzz somehow this reminds me of fevers I had as a child… they must have been different. But I do not remember when I had my chickenpox… I only know that I had it. My summers were mostly spared from being sick
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I had a few summer illnesses – definitely not the best time to be ill.
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You’ve brought me back to the summer I had the mumps!
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Oh dear, I hope you weren’t in too much pain!
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I only remember the part of looking outside the windows and not being able to go play with my friends! Funny what was important to me…
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I remember being sick like that as a child and the sense of being “bullied by the clock’s resonant tick”.
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Those were the days…
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why did Grandmothers always make cutlery tinkle. took me back to staying with mine on a childhood trip to the sea side. thank you.
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Thanks for reading and commenting! The tinkling from the kitchen was a bit of grandmother magic, a reminder that she was there. 🙂
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When one is confined in place, sounds take on a heightened aspect, which you capture so well here, Kim. I like the contrast between the hot airless room and the cool water on your legs once you were able to get outside. Great poem!
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Thank you, Lisa!
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You’re welcome, Kim.
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Oh my, I identified with this one, and the time I spent in bed with the chicken pox. My brother was just home from his stint in the army and he caught it from me. I don’t think he ever forgave me!!
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Poor guy! Did you both have it at the same time or did you get better first and help to nurse him?
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For me, my reward for having the chickenpox as a kid, was a raging case of shingles a couple of years ago. Your poem is excellent in every regard
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Thank you so much, Glenn. I just recently had shingles. It was very different to chickenpox. Viruses are like invisible monsters.
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I really love the rhythm of this altho the patient is sedentary in her sweat soaked bed .. how we all longed to escape and do ‘normal’ things!
A nice salute to our current situation where life goes on as we stay in lockdown 🙂
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🙂
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Fantastic, Kim! Your powers of description are amazing! I felt relieved that there was a sprinkler to alleviate the stuffy heat at the end. Bravo!
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Thank you kindly, Viv!
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The sick room…I had forgotten that lonely confinement. Your words brought back a piece of childhood. (K)
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I have some strange memories of being ill as a child.
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I do too. The bed as an isolation chamber…that is definitely one.
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You certainly stirred a memory. “bullied by the clock’s resonant tick.” “Lucozade was too warm to fizz,
and the fly too drowsy to buzz
and batter against the window.” Favorite lines.
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Thank you!
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Thank you Kim. I was 18, looking forward to summertime shenanigans with my recently graduated high school friends when I came down with chicken pox. I spent 6 weeks recuperating in an un air conditioned house due to an infection. This brought back alllll the feels!
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You’ve captured perfectly that sense of confinement.
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Thanks Ken!
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This is such a clear and vivid description/memory. I felt like I was right there with you.
I know I had chickenpox, but I don’t remember. I do remember my daughters having–right before the vaccine came out–but they had it in the winter.
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Thanks Merril!
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Such accurate and evocative descriptions! The worst time to have chicken pox indeed!
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Thank you!
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Kim, this nails the experience of chickenpox, and took me to the time when I had them. Thank you for this.
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I’m glad you like it, Linda!
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Absolutely fantastic imagery. Thank you or this wonderful poem
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Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Oh this is wonderful, Kim. And being of the age that I did have chicken pox, and measles, and mumps too….I remember the frustration of being stuck in bed, nevermind just inside. Your details are excellent and make this “live” — grandmother’s hospital corners on the bed….and oh yes…that does make those sheets feet so tight on your feet that your toes are almost pointed down! And the drowsy fly….and the children outside. That was always the hardest. Knowing your friends are out there and hearing their laughs. You’ve put the reader right into this room….and in this bed too!
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Thank you so much Lill, I’m glad my little poem had such an effect on you.
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