As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War

4- ☼☼ -II

The Spouse awaits—her gut contorted with

anxieties and fears that worry her—

for Doctor to emerge with news to share

about condition of our Pilgrim's health,

and when the door is open'd doth she take

a step away from th'wall t'approach the mask'd

physician, asking: "How doth Pilgrim fare?

Before there is an answer do her eyes

now fall upon the sheets in Doctor's arms

all soak'd with sweat. The Spouse now reaches for                10

the sheets to take them from the Doctor's hands,

but Doctor turns away her offer'd help

with words of warning: "These ones should be wash'd

or better burn'd to stifle pestilence

undoubtedly that lingers over them.

Your man is sleeping now, and hopefully

he'll wake to healthiness tomorrow morn,

however, I'd not hold out much for it,

for only once before I've witness'd this

infection of the body, and it prov'd                20

a fatal illness lacking remedy."

A disassociation takes a hold

of Spouse upon this pos'd lethality

so that she lacks response to Doctor's words,

instead for Saunterer to herein speak:

"There must be something we can do about

this sickness you describe so fatally,

for in this day and age there is a cure

for many illnesses that puzzled us

the likes of only fifty, ten or five                30

short years ago; there must be something you

have heard about within the years since last

you dealt with this disease you claim it is

afflicting th'one so dear to th'woman here."

With tears accumulating in her eyes

the Spouse resurfaces and turns to him

to nod in thanks for speaking in her stead

again when words refus'd to cross her tongue.

But ere reply can be deliver'd forth

a call resounds at bottom of the stairs                40

requesting Doctor's presence down below;

she goes, and following behind her lead

are Spouse and Saunterer who're waiting still

with hope for th'answer that there is a cure.

Innkeeper's waiting where the three emerge,

massaging aching knuckles with his thumb,