"Night Cramps"

Argh… your cry of pain

Propelled from your bed

By the agony of cramps

In your lower legs and feet!

It feels as though

Your shins and calves

Are being crushed

In some medieval torture device!

Your feet are bunched 

Like boxers fists

As you stamp stamp stamp

Trying to pop the bones

Back into their allotted place!

You dive into the bedside drawer

Looking for some Quinine

But the blister pack is empty

Victim of previous attacks.

So now you set off

Again on clenched feet

Staggering downstairs

In search of more Quinine.

You’re half naked

So must do all this in the dark

Lest you frighten the neighbours

Or the wildlife!

Ah, open a fresh packet

Of Quinine Sulphate

It says take one at night

But this is the second and needed!

Back to bed

Still trying to stretch 

Those calf muscles

Pulling up one’s toes

To stretch some more!

Then it occurs to you

“Shoulda taken some Arnica

That’s gonna bruise!”

But it’s too late now!

And so you lie there

Contemplating the indignities

That Age inflicts upon this body

That I still dream is young and virile!

This is all down to bad planning!

I thought I’d live fast

Die young and leave a beautiful memory.

I didn’t know I had to plan for all this!

Copyright © Res Burman 5th June 2019