4/27/2003

Nearing the point
of no return
where
new life begins
and
old life ends
I awake one morning
and
for no good reason
as I
ease out of bed
find my back
is broken
from the strain
I imagine
of
just getting close
to
what is going
to happen.
I grunt and groan
involuntarily
as I bend
and slip
my pants on
carefully
then squat
flat footed
to ease the break
standing up slowly
to discover
the fix didn’t take.
I walk
gingerly around
like a
much older hobbler
than I am
aware of ferocity
with
especially strong jaws
snapping at me
from
every direction
simultaneously
while my ability
to fight back
is seriously curtailed
which
may be the point
because
this fight for survival
will not be won
in the world of
the body
that will suffer
and recover
or not
but in dreams
and fantasies
insights and rights
insisted on.