HE SAID IN THE HOSPITAL IT

isn’t much like
you’d imagine
they’re joking
paraplegics putting
on rock n roll real
loud to bug some dudes
who just like Aida,
We were glad to be
coming out of the jungle,
not in body bags.
First day out with my
new leg and I think I’m
hot stuff, don’t know it’s
got this spring-loaded
thing and I twist on
a bar stool and my
leg spits and flings
itself out, yanks a
briefcase off this
man’s arm and throws it
across the floor. He
gave me a funny look.
Then once one foot
turned around so
I looked to be
walking backward and
forward at the same
time and a kid
pointed it out
and said look at that
man as his mama was
hushing. You’d be
surprised what I can
do with it. But,
Honey, there are
some things it’s more
comfortable to
take it off for

by Lyn Lifshin


*Lyn's website: http://www.lynlifshin.com/books.htm