Stroke Recovery: Night Hours

Things are going so well it's difficult to remember the hard times in hospital. The night hours could be long and lonely, not just as a result of the stroke. I suffered a lot of nausea and involuntary spasms which kept me awake. This is how I coped. I was never keen on blank verse before, but I suddenly discovered the power of it.

Night Hours

In the long hours of the night
I practice patience.
Weave each minute into the tapestry
Of time passing.

A whole night is unthinkable.
An hour may be unbearable.
But a minute I can manage.
One at a time.

Trace a pattern on the wall.
Listen to the weather through the window.
Recall long-forgotten memories.
Write poetry.

All serve to pass the time,
Tick off the minutes to build into hours.
But when all else fails
Reach out in the darkness
And hold the hand of God.