summer again
I don’t know how old I am
but my newest bicycle turned seven
last week
the other day it did a number on my lower back
—come next morning I was hunchbacked
& girl scouts had to help me
with my socks & shoes
in the freezer in the basement
is where I keep a few boxes of thin mints
there’s a lock on the door
the key misplaced for weeks or months
this house is much too big for me anymore
one doorbell and too many key holes
sometimes I think it’s the dead of winter
but the air conditioner runs nonstop
forcing me to wear long johns & sweaters
in the garage is where I work on my bicycle
until I am unable to stand up straight
it is summer again & I am tired
like an overstuffed bear
july two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 
I understand. These are little drops of despair. I have them too. Some days it’s not even worth cooking something. And the challenges are more frequent and more difficult.
Thank you for visiting & sharing your thoughts on the piece, Carl. Some days more challenging that others!