Waiting Room, for Shel Silverstein
Waiting Room, by Elizabeth Boquet for Shel Silverstein
Good things may come
to those who wait
in silence, on their phones,
but I bet that Shel sure knew
what to say or do
to make things great
during waiting room stays—
he’d say, “Knock! Knock!”
and wink at fellow patients’
gawks, until one answered
his call with, “Whose there?”
He’d yodel back,
“Little old lady,”and ask
for their favorite variant.
“Banana”for a kid’s giggle.
“Boo”for some moans.
“Owls”to make bellies jiggle.
Soon legs would have to be crossed,
knees slapped, and tears
would tumble into laughter
for a happy soundtrack.
Phones would get stuffed
into backpacks and pockets.
When Shel’s turn came, he’d skip
to the door, twist back, and wave
at the seated who’d rise, one by one,
to make a unified wave back
like at a baseball game,
having learned that good things
may come to those who wait,
but to those who dare play together
and participate in the everyday,
come things very truly, really,
ridiculously, stupendously, most
precious and great.
