Bury the leg
for Hallie, may we all see you dance in heaven
along with the pain,
hate and jealously.
I took it off my body, threw it
into a freezer (beside the pizza
pops). It wasn't diseased,
I just wanted to. Nobody cried, but
a laugh at my joke 'I can't use a hand,
but a leg would be good' drove the salesclerk away
to her change room. She stayed, clothed in fear; we
left to drink beer. Grandpa built a coffin, sister sang a tune,
friends carried it over the sorrow, mom whispered a silent
prayer for my sanity (losing the other could happen,
doctors say). Don't cry; it's not alone; I left it picture
to know me by.
No more dancing, no more running and jumping
for joy; only brisk morning strolls with my crutches,
and sometimes, I think about Scooter
missing out on this glorious sunrise today. And I cry.
[©1999]
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