Teach me reverenceam losing groundchildren adultingmothering in a void Teach me acceptancedisability’s waters floodI’m in the marginsan afterthought I concede life changesrelease control – passionbegs an outlet; I am wornbut I am open. Teach me. (Image mine)
A preacher dominatessix o’clock newsmegaphone voicecommanding protestmask-less hordes roar A young repairmanoffs his mask with distasteclaims it’s all a hoax,the cure is withhelda ploy to control –read it on the internet. A friend whose wisdomand words have inspiredconfesses she’ll not acceptvaccination, as her lifeis in God’s hands. And from behind a curtainof despair, I observeas […]
Passenger, am Ibackseat travellerinput unsolicited I ride along. Passenger, am Iview limiteddirection speculative I am not driving. Driver is motivatedself-assuredI relax…untiltemptation boards Wait a minute; who invited temptation? Driver is distractedego taking the wheelWho’s paying attention? I am not alone. Lackadaisical dropoutsits with me – moochand weekend boozer How did he get here? Vehicle is […]
Somber, this intrusion, me immobilized – fear mounting, fuming common odours triggering paranoia – fruits of a prolific dreamer, buried in withdrawal, work in progress, loose clutter, getting nowhere dead.
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” Source: “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot I line my spoons on the counter – measures of the day’s reserves one spoon for morning tea with a side of emails read a shower requires two or three with a guarantee of needed […]
Morning light but a trickle mind switches into gear, body resisting response, ambition thwarted by illness, the usual game – pray this day will embrace gently, and bring a gift of healing. (Image from personal collection.)
Progress – seldom linear – tosses me into unexpected decline – stranded and incapacitated. My son – with labour-hardened strength leaps to my side, steadying me and I feel the fear in his caring grip. My daughter, ever compassionate, reaches out for me with horror-filled eyes as my body crumples onto the bed. My husband, […]
She sits with me at breakfast, follows me to the park, hovers on the drive home, celebrates when I lie down, snuggles in with warming pad, and moans… Not a companion I would have chosen, preferred the active, athletic life, and yet She complains with me in the afternoon, invites excuses during dinner, grounds me […]
Sunday morning runners pass by bay window, oozing life, while I strain to catch a glimpse, movement tenuous – irony of life rendered surreal by chronic illness. (Twitter Tuesday. For more Twitter poems find me @Vjknuton.)