Footsteps

Hallways refrain from ceramic tiles
checker-boarded black and white
down academic paths, windowless,
board after board postered with events,
classes on arts and culture, tutors for hire.

Footfalls echo down hospital halls
walls painted a reserved color
that should be called hospital green,
silent nurse shoes rush to find the visitor,
to hush the intruder, wrong floor wrong hours.

Footprints across my forehead
stamped up and down, circled around
like tire treads tattooed – bad woes
bad karma, too bad for you
keep going I say, keep on walking
as I pass you by.

~ J R Turek
June 28, 2020
Hour 18