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I saw two one legged men today
with rubber tiped aluminum crutches
and pant legs pinned
and flapping.
Each one at a different station
pushing themselves
up the subway stairs.
Two one legged men.
I saw two single legged persons
(why does everyone look away?)
I couldn’t help but stare
and marvel
at my own whole pair.
How does a one legged person swim?
I would like to watch--
both arms pulling
while a foot like a fin
like a dolfins tail
the strong crumpled muscles
of abdomen
and powerful arms
and shortened laps
woosh the single whale tail foot
making grace
where dry land permits
only safety pins
and empty flaps.
I saw two one-legged men today.
1 comment:
Kathy,
thank you for the wonderful post (below). You are a natural writer. Your descriptions are super. Rand
Hi Rand -
My dad lost his leg in WWII - Bloody Ridge, Guadalcanal. He was one of the few survivors.
He loved to swim, but we only went swimming when we went to the lake where we vacationed in the summer. My dad was very sensitive, and he was afraid to swim in a public place because he didn't want to scare any children who might observe him removing his wooden leg. So when we went to the lake, he would go out to the fishing dock to remove the leg and swim back to the beach - a good mile or two - from there. He would play with us all day in the water and then swim back to the dock.
My brother, who was just here visiting, told me an updated story about my dad. He said when they built a community pool near our house, my dad finally decided to go swimming. He and my brother would go after my brother would finish work, when the pool was pretty empty. My dad was still very discreet, trying to avoid prying eyes. But there were always a few jerks at the pool who would hurl epithets at him - CRIPPLE - and other horrible things that hurt me when my brother told me the story. Denny said it hurt him, too, but my dad said to him, "Don't pay any attention to them. I don't have a problem. They have a problem."
So, that is how a one legged man swims.
K
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