Thursday, June 30, 2016

grocery cart

More new skills

I drove a grocery cart
On Sunday
Low to the ground
I’m new to this
I said
To those
Who looked at me
Quizzically
I’m new to this.
I remember sitting in rehab
Last month
Talking about this very thing.
My compatriots
Looked at me
Quizzically.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Judgment

This began as a haiku, yet I soon found each word needed its own line.

So often next steps
Remain unknown
Yet others
Find them
Abundantly
Perfectly
Clear.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Sister

Looking forward to Janie's visit!

My sister
She is coming
From her tiny house
In New Mexico.
Me
I am here
Waiting
With my walker
And tongs
And more pills
Than I have ever taken.
The ankle braces
Remind me of Forrest Gump
Run, Catharine, Run.
My sister
She is coming
From her tiny house
In New Mexico.
I am waiting.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Tongs

When independence wanes

I carry my tongs
Everywhere.
They pick up clothes and books
Newspapers.
They throw my UTOs
One at a time.
They allow
The possibility
Of one more bit
Of independence
When independence
Wanes.

Monday, June 20, 2016

Summer solstice

More than necessary

It’s summer
The solstice
I subtract the things
Which call forth
More
And more
And more
Than necessary
Summer solstice.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Father's Day

Kitten has given up, but grandfather cat is still twitching his tail. Hopeful?

Grandfather cat would prefer
Not to play
His grandfather part
On this Father's Day.
The kitten
Has been banished
With a hiss
And the swish of a tail.
This is
Of course
Until the kitten returns.
The kitten always does
Return
And sometimes
Often enough
The grandfather cat
Changes his mind.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Left foot

Moving on.

I have figured out steps.
When I get to the top
Or the bottom,
I cheer.
These
Are challenging times.
Everything accomplished
Deserves
Some sort of accolade.
I find myself
Cheering on my left foot
In particular.
You go, foot,
I say,
You go.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Soundtrack

We tease
My beloved and I
That if life only came
With a soundtrack
We would know exactly
What was coming
No
Life is way too
Unpredictable
For a soundtrack
Unless
Unless
We figure out
How to hear music
In all we hear
The purring cat
The wind in the trees
The underlying current
The understanding it’s not
All about us
Really
The soundtrack is meant
For everyone.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Flag Day

Hoping for different times. Praying for working feet.

I notice someone
Finally took in the flag
From Flag Day.
Not me.
I was also
Not the one
Who put it out.
I cannot do
Those extra things
Which require feet
For the time being,
For the time
In the foreseeable future,
For the time which threatens
To be forever
Maybe always.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Comfort dogs

I do not know who came up with the idea of comfort dogs. It's brilliant. Comfort dogs would be a good idea all over the world.

They are sending
Comfort dogs
To Orlando
From all over
The country
They wag their tails
They are happy
To be there
Maybe for a scritch
Behind the ears
A lick in return.
I have two comfort cats
They mostly
Curl up on the bed
Still
Ours is an established
Relationship.


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The next step

Ah rehab. Who knew it came in so many parts? 

The next step will begin
In a week.
I imagine I will do more balancing,
More climbing stairs.
There is work
To be done
Always more work
To be done
And then some more.
I will breathe
I will climb
I will balance
I will drink water
I will sit
I will do these
All over again.
The next step
Will begin
Next week

Monday, June 13, 2016

Catch belt

I am thinking of buying a pastel wardrobe that matches my catch belt,

Leaving the hospital
I was gifted
With my own catch belt
As well as the walker.
I am grateful
To be caught
When I am falling

Friday, June 10, 2016

I watch

So much I've missed. So much to take in.

I watch
I listen
So much I’ve missed
So much to take in
So much
So much
So much
I go slowly
Fast is not an option
She vacuums
Around the walker
And the grandfather cat
I watch
I listen
So much
To take in
So much
So much
So much
My beloved reads
Upstairs with the kitten
I go slowly now
Fast is no longer
An option
I watch
I listen
There are more options
Than fast or slow
I watch
I listen

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Feet at rest

Me and the cats. We are all praying. The sun has just come out. It's amazing the difference a little sun makes

Feet at rest
On a pillow
No pain for now
Me and the cats
Me and the walker
Me and the hospital bed
Me and what seems a plethora
Of pills
Me and so many people
To pray for
While my feet
Are at rest
On a pillow
Me and the cats
And the walker
And the hospital bed
Even maybe the pills
Praying
All of us
In prayer.
We all
Each of us
Offer our prayers
In different ways.

Coffee habit

Wow. Not even interested in Starbucks.

The coffee habit disappeared
In the hospital.
It has not returned.
I rather miss it.
The warmth
In my hands
Oh
I know
I can replace it
With other things,
Herbal tea
Even hot water
With lemon.
I am not ready
To replace it
Yet
With anything.
Some things take time

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Origami crow

It is my beloved's birthday. He is sleeping in because that is one of his favorite things to do. I am grateful I bought his birthday present in March, before all Hell broke loose. He is a particular fan of crows. All birds really. But crows in particular, This is part of his present as well. One I can still give in the aftermath of Hell appearing.

I want to get back
To writing every day
Somehow
Writing every day.
It doesn’t quite matter
What I say.
Today is the birthday
Of my beloved
I bought his present
Before all Hell
Broke loose.
Did I know something?
I lie in the rented hospital bed
With his present
Displayed on the bookshelf
In front of me
An origami crow
Made of recycled barbecue grills
Found on Brighton Beach
Even though we vowed
Not to collect any more
Things
At this stage in our lives.
How could I resist
An origami crow
Made
From recycled barbecue grills
Collected on Brighton Beach?
I bought it and gave it
Before
All Hell broke loose.

Did I know something?

Sunday, June 5, 2016

More learning

Yep. Amazing. Both cats are now sitting next to each other staring out the front window. Kitten with her cone, perfectly calm,

The grandfather cat moves
Slowly
To his food dish.
He enjoys a mouthful
Now and again.
The kitten was fixed
She has five more days
In the cone of shame
As the occupational therapist
Calls it
Me?
I’m still learning the walker
And stairs…
And stares
When we go out to eat
I elected no church today
I have more days of moving slowly
More kitten days
In the cone of shame
And stares
And direction
Not to let this
Rule my life
Even though this
Is not where they
Are living.