Support is multiplied
Three black canes in the corner of my office,
and me with only the one limp, so
how did the damn things multiply?
One left at home begat one my sister gave me which
begat one to keep in the car against future forgetfulness.
No car right now, it got totally totaled,
so number three leans against the others.
I don’t lean hard on them, they’re just for balance
the PT tells me, three points of support better than two.
I remember thinking sticks were not needed for mountains.
That was a long long time ago; now look at me navigate:
not bad on level ground, need to take care in the woods.
If I keep getting stronger, finally find my balance,
maybe I won’t need the damned things; how foolish
to damn supports helping me out even if they
remind me I need support in the first place.
Bones heal, muscle too, with knitted skin
holding them together; two screws loosened, tore,
had to come out. The bone held together anyway.
Sometimes we heal more than we realize,
or not; limping’s not such a big deal if I can
get from one place to another without the car
I don’t have to be lazy with: good exercise.
So I keep getting stronger; it hurts a little,
but nothing at all compared to first shattering.
Now I think of it, I’ve shattered before many times
in many ways, and grateful I am for
skilled caring hands that put me together,
guided me so many times. I’ve been told by
a reliable source, healing happens if we don’t get in the way.
After all, I haven’t been totally totaled.
~ Wry Welwood
29th of June 2021
Thanks to Samantha Lazar of Sky Collection.