Health in the Head

Freeverse

That woman sobbed in the library᾽s IT room.
It was the tenth of October,
though that seemed so irrelevant.

Why did this woman upset me?
She was uncanny, eldritch,
and the whole thing was sad.
I almost had tears in my eyes.

Thin and middle-aged, maybe she was old.
She was grey and wore a grey overcoat.
Yes, I did almost cry at that sight.
Something not working on that machine?

That computer seemed to refuse
to do what she demanded.
A librarian spoke gently to her, tried to help.
Did the tenth of October have a reckoning on her?

She was to my right,
a small distance away, her back to me.
I could not see her face.

I think the woman settled
and I do rather hope she᾽s OK,
though I᾽d never met her, may never see her again.

I upped and left the room for home.
It was the tenth of October.
It was World Mental Health Day.

(10 Oct 2023)

Reviews

[Stella Armour]

Aww bless, grey hair, grey coat sounds rather depressing in itself , poor soul had not added any colour to her wellbeing and maybe you picked up on that as she was tearful.
"World Mental Health Day", a time for awareness that mental health problems or even grief is invisible , well the librarian who possibly knew her ?
How she touched your emotions only you know, but something stirred in your own mind i suspect Andrew..

[Andrew John]

Thank you so very much for looking in, Stella.

[Chris Shaw]

Computers can be puzzling for the elderly but even more so for those who have dementia or other mental health problems. You convey her upset and frustration well. The tenth of October just one day in the calendar yet some have to live with this every day. You show your caring side here. Kindness goes a long way.

Chris

[Andrew John]

Sweet of you to say so, Chris. Thank you.