Broken ~ A Little Pity Poem
66written under the influence of late night Port Wine cheese, crackers, and way too many Shirley Temples
I have a broken hand
I have a broken knee
I have a broken heel
Oh, woe be unto me
I fell upon the sidewalk
2 years ago this month
my right hand fell along with me
and I heard a terrible crunch.
The pain was quite exquisite
The swelling instantaneous
But without any health insurance
The orthopedic doc didn’t fuss.
Tape around two fingers
Tape was all he gave
He told me to take care of myself
Then dismissed me with a wave.
Climbing on the rocks
For a better chance to see
Taking photos for a freelance job
Of waves crashing in from sea.
The tumbled granite boulders
Were cold and wet with ice
I scrambled, slipped and tumbled
And fell exactly twice.
The second time was perfect
I hit the stones just right
Just below my left patella
Creating pain to cloud my sight.
The bone chips now still float
In my knee all sad and blue
And still without that health care
There’s nothing I can do.
A payment plan is not welcome
My job does not impress
Creating quilts to make my living
I just get by, I confess.
I used to work with flowers
Every day all day long
It was a job I admit I loved
Raising up plants and flowers strong.
My gardens were so lovely
A beautiful sight to see
But then one day a customer
Pushed his cart of plants into me.
The iron of the wheel hit me
On my heel once sturdy and strong
But after the whack that took me aback
Now my heel feels so very wrong.
It twangs and burns and aches
It’s swollen permanently
I cannot put full weight down now
So it’s tippy tiptoe for me.
The flower boss I worked for
Was a despotic Scrooge you see
So 39 hours a week did not
Make a full time employee of me.
Part timers get no overtime
They get no health care, too
And with money in and money out
There was no money to sue.
So life is not a barrel of laughs
I live in a kind of haze
Broken hand, knee, and heel
Keep me in pain most of my days.
When the Dragon lived I could stand it
With him by me I was strong
But now that I am so all alone
My life feels all so wrong.
I feel like a forgotten woman
One who fell between the cracks
Without my Dragon to fight for me
Strength is something I lack.
A broken hand shops at the food store
A broken knee walks to the library
My broken hand sews and quilts
Solace for others’ memories.
This pathetic little pity poem
Goes out to the universe
To show someone who thinks it’s bad
That quite possibly it could be worse.
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Comments
hi, Gary.
if i could afford a vacation
i'd go back to the shore
to sit with all my memories
of all the days of yore.
=o] thank you for stopping by.
I must comment on the first comment, what a giant pig! You have my sympathy, how about a vacation since you can't afford healthcare?
I guess you're not old enough for Medicare? This is one of the problems with America, we pay for health care which, if we are at the wrong age, we only receive through a generous employer - this situation is completely wrong, especially since America is such a wealthy nation.
I think the foods you consumed were a real benefit because you turned your troubles into something very humorous. You had me laughing throughout and feeling guilty about it at the same time!
hey, Alexander. nope, no where near old enough for Medicare. too young to be a widow. too old to feel young. and too much in love with my Dragon to ever consider anything but living with my memories while making the quilts.
and sometimes you have to laugh, but i think it was more the Grenadine than the wine in the Port Wine.
qlcoach says:
5 months ago
Very enjoyable poem. Great writing and a wonderful sense of humor. Some sad truth here about healthcare issues. Need a vacation? Hope you will visit my new HUB about cruising: http://hubpages.com/hub/ebywaycruise. Gary.