"Two wrongs may not make a right but a thousand wrongs make a writer.”

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Self-Service (Fri. flash 55)

The man's stump
hangs at his side like a tuber.
He pushes his cart
and stands in line.
The stump is hairy, like an old man's ear.
 
I watch my mother
struggle from walker to bed,
the laborious lifting of a leg,
the settling in.
The collective exhale
when she opens her eyes
and smiles.


Written belatedly for the host of Friday Flash 55. Here's to hearth and home and lingering at the table. Have a good weekend.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Intense. Powerful writing.
-HA

Brian Miller said...

hard. it is nice to see the relief in their eyes when they settle...life is def not easy for amputees....

Yvonne Osborne said...

H.A.
Thank you very much.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Brian,
Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful, sad.

Thanks for the Elmore Leonard reminders too. I am working on a novel right now--it is for young adults so I feel that the tags are more allowable, but maybe not. k.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful, sad.

Thanks for the Elmore Leonard reminders too. I am working on a novel right now--it is for young adults so I feel that the tags are more allowable, but maybe not. k.

Maude Lynn said...

This is a really powerful piece.

Mary said...

You really have given us something to think about & a reason to give thanks for every day of health we have in our life! We never know when something will change for us.

Gabriella said...

Your poem makes me realize how fortunate most of us are, Yvonne! Something we too often forget to be thankful for.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Manic,
Thank you and good luck with the novel. I would assume the dialogue tag rule applies with young adult too. But I'm no expert. Thanks for commenting.

Mama Zen,
Thanks!

Mary,
Thank you. I try to remember what Thanksgiving is all about. It's hard sometimes with all the flyers filling up the mailbox. They go right in the garbage but who needs all that paper waste?

Gabriella,
Thanks for commenting! I wonder where everyone else is...... Must be the weekend. I hope everyone is spending time with family and friends, baking and writing letters and decorating the mantle. Not "Shopping".



G-Man said...

Yvonne...
YOU are never too late...:-)
Always top notch writing from you My Friend. Thank You for finding the time on this busy long week-end. You Are Wonderful!
Have a Kick Ass Week!

Yvonne Osborne said...

G-Man,
Thanks!

Unknown said...

Powerful stuff alright!

Lydia said...

Whew, Yvonne, what a poignant scene you created. Brought tears to my eyes reading about your mother....I remember it that way with my own. A great 55.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Wendy,
Hi! And thank you.

Lydia,
Thank you so much. I guess difficult times can produce poignant writing.

Anonymous said...

wow, that is some visual in the first verse. and the second is so vitally intimate ~

Yvonne Osborne said...

Grapeling,
Thank you so much. I really apreciate you commenting and I'm glad my little 55 struck a cord.

Alice Audrey said...

That smile really hits you in the gut, knowing how much has gone into it. Excellent.