While he nodded, nearly sleeping, suddenly there came a beeping

Once upon a midnight dreary, while Craig pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While Craig nodded, nearly sleeping, suddenly there came a BEEPING, …
Beeping at his bedside more?!

Presently his soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said he, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness he implored;
But the fact is he was sleeping, and so gently it came beeping,
And so faintly it came beeping, beeping at him more …

Deep into that darkness peering, long he stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered words, `Holy, Marymotherwhore!'
----
Aw, but not a raven haunts Craig.  Nay, it's the gentle rapping of an obnoxious and overly sensitive TPN and saline pump. There are few things as sad as seeing a man scramble to push a tiny 'silent' button to end his suffering.  His monitor has been beeping non-stop for the past ten minutes.  It just went off again while he was in the bathroom.  We're waiting for the clunk sound of plastic hitting a hard-wood door.  -- J