Townlands hospital, in Henley-on-Thames,
is to be upgraded and the gardens
sold off to property developers

It's the birdsong I'll remember. And the sky.
And the swish of a car passing by,
or the rumble of a plane
or the clack of workmen's work, unseen,
that all give way to the hush of the breeze in the green.

The green of the view and the red, red rooves
that go stepping down the hill
even though they never move.
The grand, mossy-white sundial that makes you feel
you are sitting on this bench in a crinoline dress, no less.

A butterfly comes straight from the holidays in Wales.
The quiet loading and hammering and mending sounds like
Phil and John and Neville and co
could be here ninety years and no-one would know.

Over there, the summer footsteps of a nurse.
Over there, a mother's car-keys from her purse.
The bees swim around feeling lazy,
the old brick shed feels safe.

And I'm glad I'm leaving soon.

· Cheryl Palmer is a speech and language therapist and has worked for the NHS for 11 years.