That Elusive Fountain

Appearances certainly can be deceiving
but despite their faded appearance and
joyless expressions those gathered in
this place have a love affair with life
and they are determined against all odds
to cheat the unctuous solicitations of
the Grim Reaper. They may have lost
possession of many of their faculties
but the urge to survive remains constant
alert and defiant. Throughout the course
of the day they stream, one by one, in
pairs, ambulatory or pushing walkers
alternately being themselves pushed in
wheelchairs, all sharing that one ambition.
Some are new to this unit where the
lighting is maintained in a soothing dim
constancy and many are returnees; the
former for pre-surgical assessment, the
latter returning after open heart surgery
for routine checks. There the survivors
of long lives congregate in their white
wisdom studiously ignoring the presence
of counterparts yet occasionally leaning
forward to enquire of personal experience
as in recovery details by the anxious
willing to break the unspoken conspiracy
of courage in silent aloof indifference.