By Dr Joseph Hawkins, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Clinical lead for End of Life Care, Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust. Twitter: @JoeHawk75825077
Title contributed by Miss Katie Scott
I’ve never been good at goodbyes.
When I changed jobs
I tried to disappear
Slip silently away before the party poppers
Were popped.
When caught by smiling eyes
I’d never know what to say
Thank you always needs a qualifier
It’s not that I’m ungrateful
I just haven’t the words.
Hellos were always better
I fall in to a well rehearsed
Measure, a dance of words that
Explain who I am.
Hellos are mostly about listening anyway.
Now it seems my Hellos
Are behind me.
It’s not that I’m not grateful,
I just don’t have the words.
So when I close my eyes,
Know that I say thank you.
Thank you without qualifiers.
And although I may not have
Any Hellos left.
At least I’m done with goodbye.
My last goodbye
Wasn’t so bad after all.
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