The Precious 10 Minutes

by: Hamish Whyte

Furnished by The Poems for Doctors Project at St Andrews University Scotland

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The GP stands at the door of his room,
shakes my hand, asks me how I am.
I always smile and say fine, except for…
this niggling problem
or I’m just here for a checkup
or a repeat prescription
or something.

He listens.
He’s a cautious man, gets me tested
just in case: ‘Let’s be sure.’

He sounds me out about an ongoing condition:
if I can live with it
he can live with it.
‘As long as you can do the things
you want to do.’
He knows I’m a worrier.

I don’t feel rushed.
It’s a conversation.
It all seems as it should be.

Rights: by permission of the author

The GP stands at the door of his room,
shakes my hand, asks me how I am.
I always smile and say fine, except for…
this niggling problem
or I’m just here for a checkup
or a repeat prescription
or something.

He listens.
He’s a cautious man, gets me tested
just in case: ‘Let’s be sure.’

He sounds me out about an ongoing condition:
if I can live with it
he can live with it.
‘As long as you can do the things
you want to do.’
He knows I’m a worrier.

I don’t feel rushed.
It’s a conversation.
It all seems as it should be.


Read by Dr Rona Patey, Poems for Doctors Project at St Andrews University Scotland

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