Ultrasound
twinkle twinkle little bat I know what an ultrasound is scoffs my Mother - the nurse - on the phone Trying to sound not completely unoffended My mind scrabbles to think when it might have been invented But then just stops wondering It’s like sonar for tummies The mysteries of the stomach revealed Ghostly apparitions brought forth By medical medium Harnessing electronic apparatus Now-a-days ectoplasm is applied post-fact A ritual of remembrance Of times when it was easier to fake it You see Yesterday my surprisingly long-legged son Had lain on the vinyl, paper-towel covered couch I had, initially sat at a distance On the chair in the corner of the consulting room Then coming to my senses Moved to the chair by his side The operator/ advanced radiographer/ specialist examiner Asks him to pop undone his surprisingly long school trousers The jell is applied The transducer slides across the surface of his upset tummy Signals a...