New poem: Corridor

I was knocked over in the road near our house

and was in hospital for several months. When

they thought I was well enough, they said that

I should try to walk. They took me to the door

of the ward and said, ‘Walk down the corridor.’

I looked ahead. There were double doors and

beyond that more double doors and beyond that

more double doors and perhaps more beyond

that. I thought of other corridors.

They said, ‘Just think of one step at a time.’

I had forgotten how to walk. I put one foot

forward. The other foot wouldn’t move very far.

It was OK about coming up alongside the first

foot. But it wouldn’t go on. It stopped right there.

Alongside the first foot.

‘Put one hand on the wall, if you want.’

I looked ahead to the double doors. I could get

there, I thought, so long as I don’t try anything

clever. Don’t try that thing where you put one

foot forward and swing the other foot past the

first foot. So I did one foot forward, bring the

other foot up to join it. One foot forward, bring

the other foot up to join it. I looked ahead. There

was no end to the corridor.