The Waiting Room

They walked into the room

Worry, Fear, and Hope

Overhead it loomed

The ability to cope.

Worry had an older face

Fear was any age

Time gave worry an embrace

Fear danced on the stage.

They all just took a seat

Waited there as told

Not sure of who they’d meet

Shivered in the cold.

Worry talked real slow

Afraid she’d talk to Fear

Wondering when she’d go

Or if Hope would disappear.

Before they left the room

Worry and Fear, each one,

Saw Hope, flowing in the room

Through the eyes of loved ones.

As they walked away

Even though they cried

Worry and Fear would stay

With Hope there by their side.

John Doriot is an award-winning poet and author. He has won 6 Georgia Independent Author of the Year Awards from 2022-2024, of which two of those books were for collections of poetry. He has contributed short stories and poetry to Down in the Dirt, Dark Horses and WestWard Quarterly magazines.