detailed inventory of a hospital room
By Karen Baumgart
in the corner, a bloodied nightgown and socks, cocooned in a plastic bag / steady beeping from a room across the hall / plumes of antiseptic wafting from yesterday’s mopped floors / faded memory-wisps of a similar room, where she’d held her nan’s hand for the last time / tattered novel, bookmark askew / a cracked faux-leather chair, its lopsided smile bursting with foam-stuffing teeth / her favourite hoodie, spreadeagled across a rickety bedside table / a floral overnight bag, the one she loves because it gives her Mary-Poppins-courage and has a broken handle like in Anne of Green Gables / a fuzzy elephant-print blanket, still cellophane-wrapped and pink-ribboned / long-melted ice, the plastic jug bejewelled with condensation / a primary-school clock, thick hands jerking and scurrying after trickling-past minutes / elastic hours stretching like cheese from fresh-baked pizza / the scratch of her husband’s two-day-old stubble, comforting against her cheek / soft-soled shoes, whispering secrets as they traverse countless corridor miles / remnants of a ham sandwich, whole-wheat triangles crusting at the edges / an unopened packet of jubes / a square window, casually framing the early afternoon sun as though nothing has changed / the soft fizzy feeling that everything has changed / whirligig scents of fresh-birthed joy, tickling her nose like laughter / pastel waffle-weave blankets stacked across her feet / fresh sheets, stiffly folded over mattress corners / on the nightstand: a chocolate bar, a phone, and a knitted hat no bigger than a teacup.
Karen Baumgart lives in Australia and adores beautiful quotes, pink things, cats, and chai lattes. She loves working in human services policy, especially when it enables marginalised people to have a voice. Karen used to be an English teacher, and is quite certain that writing is, indeed, the best therapy.
Artwork Source: “Snowdrops1,” Isha Mital
Artist Statement: My approach is a mix of my constantly evolving understanding of the human experience and simple aesthetics, blending the two to create a transparent and nuanced representation of my ideas. I am constantly exploring the delicate balance between the mundane and the profound, using my art as a medium to delve into the complexities of life and expression. Through my drawings, I hope to open up spaces for contemplation and introspection. My art is a journey of self-discovery for myself and all those who come across it.
Isha is a visual artist and poet whose work focuses on the simplicity, sweetness, and imperfection of life. Her use of line and color is concise yet purposeful, evoking a symphony of flavors that is colored with specks of whimsy. Her work has previously appeared in Sunday Mornings at the River, Where Meadows and Through Lines Magazine. She is also involved with Low Hanging Fruit Magazine as an editor.
The Turning Leaf Journal 