How long can a foot
last when it’s been
short
two sizes from the start?
A birth defect
makes such a long effect—
Spastic muscles
impede aim,
each step a challenge
to keep in balance.
Two times the shoes
equal a pair.
At eighty-four years,
seventeen days,
the heat of infection
has chilled too low.
Death is rising
from collapsed veins.
A cut above the knee
will end the foot
to lengthen the life
it’s carried so far.
Wow. This is truly a poignant piece. David Stone is brilliant.
I agree. David Stone is brilliant. 🙂 This poem is poignant without being overly sentimental.