One legged Anne
stormed across the lawn
on her crutches
and threw herself down
into a white chair
and tossed
her crutches aside
and said
**** the missing leg
the other children
put hands over
their ears
or hurried away
to a safer distance
or went play
on the swing
or slide across the way
you sat opposite
your mouth open
and your eyes
studying her face
her mouth still uttering
expletives frightening birds
in nearby trees
what’s a matter?
you asked
her words
still vibrating
in your ears
your brain trying to sort them
into correct departments
but failing
pain
she said
******* pain
in the leg
that isn’t there
I see
you said
watching her face
go from pale pink
to bright red
I doubt it
she said
and what
does Sister Paul say to me?
you are sharing
in the agony of Christ she said
you have been chosen
to share in his pains
you spotted dribble
escape her lips
her blue skirt
had ridden up
revealing a glimpse
of naked stump
where her leg had been
I’ve enough
of my own pain
Anne said
let him share his pain
with others who might welcome it
she exclaimed
muttering more expletives
sending a butterfly
in a different direction
some say a pain shared
is a pain halved
you uttered
noticing how the stump
had been neatly sewn
leaving only
the smallest scar
had your eyeful?
she said
want to see more
of my stump?
and she yanked her skirt upward
revealing
her navy-blue underwear
there
she said
there have a good nose
why does it still hurt?
you asked
looking away
watching your sister
on the climbing frame
with the girl with burn scars
nerve endings
Anne muttered
or some such nonsense
so they say
you turned around
as she pulled down
her skirt
and stared you out
and you noticed
how beautiful
her eyes were
set in that angry face
like angel’s eyes
set in features
of one fallen from grace.
Dec 28, 2012
Dec 28, 2012 at 2:54 AM UTC
One legged Anne
stormed across the lawn
on her crutches
and threw herself down
into a white chair
and tossed
her crutches aside
and said
**** the missing leg
the other children
put hands over
their ears
or hurried away
to a safer distance
or went play
on the swing
or slide across the way
you sat opposite
your mouth open
and your eyes
studying her face
her mouth still uttering
expletives frightening birds
in nearby trees
what’s a matter?
you asked
her words
still vibrating
in your ears
your brain trying to sort them
into correct departments
but failing
pain
she said
******* pain
in the leg
that isn’t there
I see
you said
watching her face
go from pale pink
to bright red
I doubt it
she said
and what
does Sister Paul say to me?
you are sharing
in the agony of Christ she said
you have been chosen
to share in his pains
you spotted dribble
escape her lips
her blue skirt
had ridden up
revealing a glimpse
of naked stump
where her leg had been
I’ve enough
of my own pain
Anne said
let him share his pain
with others who might welcome it
she exclaimed
muttering more expletives
sending a butterfly
in a different direction
some say a pain shared
is a pain halved
you uttered
noticing how the stump
had been neatly sewn
leaving only
the smallest scar
had your eyeful?
she said
want to see more
of my stump?
and she yanked her skirt upward
revealing
her navy-blue underwear
there
she said
there have a good nose
why does it still hurt?
you asked
looking away
watching your sister
on the climbing frame
with the girl with burn scars
nerve endings
Anne muttered
or some such nonsense
so they say
you turned around
as she pulled down
her skirt
and stared you out
and you noticed
how beautiful
her eyes were
set in that angry face
like angel’s eyes
set in features
of one fallen from grace.
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