Hour 11, "Walking..."

2023 Poetry Marathon, Hour 11

Hour 11

9/2/2023

 

“Walking…”

 

Used to run

upwards of 8 miles a day overall

left the Corps - promised never again

kept it too!

 

This year has been rough -

way more than I knew…

hospital stays for doing what a doc said

and trusting what I was told…

but ya HAVE TO get done

each thing BEFORE you move on

- or ya WON’T move on.

So I have and will

…we deal as we must.

 

Is important to MOVE

when things hurt…

you can walk through it -

but not sit …not sit.

 

I use a walking stick

NOT A CANE!

Is a stick - for balance

and steadiness over rough,

uneven surfaces.

Ya don’t bend, lean,

or walk like an old crip.

Ya stand tall and sure

and move with authority -

and yes retaining a level of pride.

 

I wander the road…

share voices and hello’s

breathe deep

step sure

and taste my strength

and will to be - to exist

to live

and I still care

about and for those …near.

 

I’ve neighbors

and we share words

and thoughts… and frustrations…

and needs.  We DO things,

necessary things - we help

as only we can

because we CAN and know

no other way.

 

Chris

(C) Chris Twyford 9/2/2023

 

Author's Note

Feel free.