I haven’t paced so far without a rest
in many months. I cannot recollect
the last time, and I never would have guessed
it could be quite this easy. I’d expect
to feel my knees – I wear an 8-pound vest –
but I am nearly there when I detect
a need to lift my feet – fatigue that knocks,
but I keep on. It’s only 10 more blocks.
Intending yesterday to walk today
to work, a trek I’ve made a time or three,
I went to bed and rested, but the way
my legs at 3 am appeared to be –
a little stiff and almost sore in knee –
encouraged that I reevaluate.
But now, awake, with movement rather free,
I plan to start. I’ll test my weighted gait.
Refusing hearing aids (we don’t know why),
the conversation suffers even more
than when it simply angered me to cry
(unfiltered and so harsh she was before).
No matter how on telephone we try
to garner sense, it’s ever trending poor.
In person even we can’t make her hear,
so we joke privately, although she’s near.
It wasn’t till I reached into my pack
to pull my wallet for the snacks in hand,
that I perceived its absence. Round my back
an empty pocket made me understand
I had no wherewithal. But from my stand
I didn’t fret. I felt surprised with calm.
Near certain I’d not transferred it as planned,
I simply moved those snacks to shelf from palm.
I measured my old suitcase yesterday.
Equipped with its dimensions, I then sought
a case of like size and two wheels, the way
I like a bag designed, that can be brought
to lugging angle, tipped to follow, caught
by handle. I don’t need much space or weight.
In 20 minutes I compared and bought
new baggage/luggage to encase my freight.
Now there are two pneumatic dragons where
I wait to board the bus for home. My view
comprised a solo monster filled with air.
Now there are two.
I’ve never been inside the store, that’s true,
and bend away from such, but as a lair
for cute I use these lines to pay them due
attention and appreciate the care
a merchant grants to walkers-by. We’re few
compared to cars, but grateful and aware
now there are two.
Deliberately I walked a longer route,
and shopped before embarking on the train.
My need for exercise became acute
and happily I added steps. No pain
was dogging me and yes, my aging brain
receives from ambulation benefit.
At night I’ll run TV to entertain,
but afternoon outside’s appropriate.
Before the stores adopted scanning ways,
when customers used cash, it wasn’t strange
to see employees ring the price one pays
and be adept at calculating change.
And as for bagging purchases these days,
I’d have you note I walked, and so arrange
the items for my pack. I wish you’d stop:
no avocados low or eggs on top.
I thought I tucked my phone back in my bag.
I crossed the street and then I heard a thunk.
It’s luck I turned. It would have been a drag
to miss that phone on sidewalk. I’d be sunk
if I wore earbuds, or a part had cracked
three steps before on roadway. Then last night,
I moved too fast at home, and it’s a fact
that foot slam on hard furniture’d be quite
an injury. But seldom as I’m shod
inside, I happened to be feeling cold,
so maybe wearing slippers wasn’t odd,
but I was fur-encased and rubber-soled.
As often as I note things gone amiss,
I’ll spend a moment now in grateful bliss.
Inspired by the outside solar light,
still on at 5 am, amid tall weeds,
and knowing I’d the cart to haul, despite
agreement with the neighbors, what succeeds
is topping off the compost bin with seeds
and stems and leaves of rangy volunteers,
and wheeling to the curb as much as needs
removal now, before the sun appears.
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