forgive my apathy
I’m long adrift in no man’s land
examining all life around me
as if for the last time
offbeat winds blowing
in contradictory directions
stars steering me at night
offering empathy
this invisible me
like a thimble in the raging sea
believably staying afloat
white flag waving high
october two thousand twenty
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
there was a problem with my shoulder
but the x-rays contradicted my word
and when the good doctor pressed here
and prodded there I responded
I could feel no discomfort
my parting orders included the words
‘acute pain’ and it was then I realized
the health system can be like a chameleon
and so I made an appointment with a
physical therapist and she
easily found my trouble spots
exposing them as true weaknesses
addressing and describing them in such a way
that left me smiling and nodding my head
as time went by I assured her
exercises and effort were making a difference
but I sensed she thought otherwise
and though she never called me a liar
she nonchalantly explained how the pain
in my shoulder would never go away
much like the weight placed upon this world
october two thousand nineteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
