Till death when they parted

 
you could tell the place was old  
by the nicotine stains that showed through the light blue paint work  
and the funky smell that all the detergent in the world  
couldn't quite hide  

I scanned the room to get an idea  
of how long i'd be stuck in that death trap  
see who the competition was  
for the few doctors working the night shift  

reckoned it was the baby girl breathing through a tiny oxygen tube  
taped fast under her nostrils, but even if I was called before she was  
I'd have given way in an act  

I barely noticed the aged man slumped on a chair  
trying his best to stay invisible  
because he knew there was no hope of him leaving  
and was just hanging on for a collar  
to claim his soul  

I was fascinated and tried to work out  
whether he was really brave or hopelessly alone  

before I could make up my mind  
I saw him suck in his last breath,and when he exhaled,I could swear  
There was the makings of a faint smile spreading across his lips  

I watched a young man  
step out of the aged body slumped on the chair  
took a good look around the room  
and I saw a beautiful woman dressed in an emerald green ballroom gown  
beckon his hand  
they danced to the background music playing on the old wooden speakers  
nailed to the wall  
I saw them stall in front of the baby girl and all three smiled  

and all three left  

I wanted to hug the baby's mother whisper to her not to cry  
tell her why the tears dropping from my eyes  
had no taste of sadness  
when they entered my mouth  

I probably should have and probably would have  
if I had thought the woman  
was in any fit state  
to hear the ramblings of a changed man