Poetry by Bill

HOW CAN PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

How can people understand
without experiencing first-hand.
All the subtle ins and outs
of what an ostomy’s about.

They don’t know what it’s like for us
and do not understand the fuss.
They just sit upon the loo
and go about their normal poo.

They don’t know what it’s like for me
‘cos they don’t ha ...

DEATH.

As a subject there’s no doubt
Death is hard to think about.
It’s difficult to comprehend.
When life’s journey’s at its end.

If in life you have no peace.
Death can be a great release.
It always seems so permanent.
Especially when it’s imminent.

I’m sure you can appreciate.
Death is such a certain fate.
Life is trans ...

DECISIONS ON REVERSAL.
Sometimes stomas are performedso someday they maybe reformed.Surgeon’s can sow the colon backand lives can then be back on track.
There are some people with a choiceto make decisions and give voiceto what they really want to doif a reversal comes in view.
Now I recall that I rehearsedhow I would have it all reversed.For sure it could my life enhanceif only I wou ...

THE LADY WHO GAVE ME AIDS.

I’LL NEVER FORGET
THE FIRST DAY I MET.
- THE LADY WHO GAVE ME AIDS.

ITHOUGHT SHE WAS GREAT
AND SHE WAS MY MATE.
- THE LADY WHO GAVE ME AIDS.

SHE MADE ME RELAXED
WHEN EMOTIONS CLIMAXED.
- THE LADY WHO GAVE ME AIDS.

SHE WAS ALWAYS SO SMOOTHE
AND KNEW HOW TO SOOTHE.
- THE LADY WHO GAVE ME AIDS.

SHE JUST HAD TO SAY
AND I ...

MAKING SENSE OF STOMAS.Many years ago, I started writing a series of articles on things that I needed to make sense of from my own perspective. The work began as a very personal rendition of things that were bugging me and needed putting into a logical rather than an emotional perspective. This led to an initial working title for a book ‘Welcome to my World’. However, as with so ma ...

CLOTHES & STOMAS.
When I was young I thought it right
that all my clothes were smart and tight.
I would closely follow fashion
with both pleasure and with passion.

When my friends and I went out
we knew what fashion was about.
Despite the adults who might scoff
we had perfected showing off.

Those were the days when clothes and we
remained relaxed and stayed carefree.
So full ...

A HUG.

A hug came in my mail today
and caught me unawares.
I thought it was a wondrous way
to show that someone cares.

This touching sentiment apprised
a somewhat doleful heart.
But I was pleasantly surprised
at what it would impart.

Musing over paradigms
of things to overcome.
It made me ponder all those times
when I needed someone.

You may know the times ...

DETERIORATION.

When you improve you may feel great,
but not if you deteriorate.
For, when you start to atrophy
it can be a catastrophe.

One day you think you’re doing fine,
the next, come symptoms of decline
and with that there’s apprehension,
anxiety and hypertension.

Each time you’re in a worsening state
you find your heart and mind deflate
and you wonder what’s in store
or ...

WHO CARES FOR THE CARERS.

Caring is a selfless task
done by one for others.
The sort of task that children ask
of fathers and of mothers.

Caring can be caring ‘for’
of that there is no doubt.
But surely it is so much more
if carers care ‘about’.

Carers deserve a great respect
for all the work they do.
It should not be what we would expect ...

INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS.

This tale is of an ostomate
but told for those who irrigate.
For I feel it may be they
who will envisage what I say.

Today I had an incident,
a torrid horrid accident.
Right in the middle of my flush
it all came out in one big rush.

This would not have been so bad
except the wafer came unclad.
Now those of you who know this scene
will k ...

WHERE TO NOW?

When talking about my ostomy
too many verses seem to me
to labour negativity
not favour positivity.

I now attest that I will try
to do my best to rectify
the bias that was written when
I held a pious poisoned pen.

Lots of those bad things I knew
and what I chose to bring to view
were at one time felt so strong
because I dwelt on them too long.

...

‘STOMA STIGMA’.

A stigma is disgrace or shame.
And socially unacceptable.
Sometimes it’s clear within a frame.
Sometimes it’s imperceptible.

A stoma is the sort of thing.
That draws the stigma out.
For some it is embarrassing.
Not to be proud about.

Some people tend to stigmatise.
And do not even know it.
Some know not how to empathis ...

THE WINTER SOLSTICE.
The winter solstice brings good cheerwithin the Northern hemisphere.For Capricorn has turned the sunand now it’s on its homeward run.
This date’s easy to remembernear the end of each December.Before the Christian holidayand its commercial overplay.
This year it’s on the twenty-first,when I fear folks are at their worst.Meeting, eating and indulging,dri ...

OSTOMY CHOICES.

Because I have an ostomy.
There are choices left to me.
With regard to doing poo.
The choice I have is one of two.

I could change or empty bags.
But this way is full of snags.
Throughout the day in spurts and spits.
It takes more time in little bits.

If I farted, bags would smell.
And let out that tell-tale smell.
Sometimes they would get too full ...

ADVENTITIOUS .

When things seem to occur by chance
without some warning in advance,
it’s described as adventitious
and not really surreptitious.

There are some people who will pause,
whilst they try to seek a cause,
as they’re convinced, they’ll find a clue
for things that come out of the blue.

Not everything in life’s designed
or planned within the human mind,
things happen u ...