Ode to the Hotel Near the Children's Hospital

Praise the restless beds Praise the beds that do not adjust that won't lift the head to feed or lower for shots or blood or raise to watch the tinny TV Praise the hotel TV that won't quit its murmur & holler Praise the room service that doesn't exist just the slow delivery to the front desk of cooling pizzas & brown bags leaky greasy & clear Praise the vending machines Praise the change Praise the hot water & the heat or the loud cool that helps the helpless sleep. Praise the front desk who knows to wake Rm 120 when the hospital rings Praise the silent phone Praise the dark drawn by thick daytime curtains after long nights of waiting, awake. Praise the waiting & then praise the nothing that's better than bad news Praise the wakeup call at 6 am Praise the sleeping in Praise the card hung on the door like a whisper lips pressed silent Praise the stranger's hands that change the sweat of sheets Praise the checking out Praise the going home to beds unmade for days Beds that won't resurrect or rise that lie there like a child should sleeping, tubeless Praise this mess that can be left