Monday
Bliss.
All systems go.
Light gushes in and warms.
“The day was crisp and bright, the atmosphere quivering with life.”
Tuesday
Morning shower – a slow bend to soap.
A twinge in the lower left back.
A punch in the stomach. A kick in the…
Hands stretch to reach for the wall.
Cannot straighten. Will not straighten.
“Ash, bits of bone, a handful of sand”
Wednesday
Shifting and shifting and shifting on train seat.
I stand and let the up escalator work – can’t take the jarring from the stairs.
I ease up and down from curbs as I cross-town.
I shift my briefcase from left to right to left hand to transfer weight.
A slow walk, yet breathless. Sweat beads on my forehead.
A low throbbing migraine. Knee bone connected to…
Rain falls, a light mist, cooling.
“We are wooed, then mocked, plagued like Amfortas, King of the Grail Knights, by a wound refusing to heal.”
Thursday
Sitting. Hour after hour in meetings. It’s killing you.
I stand. Vertigo. And pause before walking.
Home and early to bed.
Medicated. Floating. Body under governance of Aleve.
Insomnia.
“We lay our flowers but cannot sleep”
Friday
2:49 am.
Awake. And staring at the ceiling.
“The quiescence of organic material waiting”
I hold my breath, and slide gently out of bed.
What’s it going to be? Please. Please be right.
I take the first step.
“He savors his one joy, a cold pint of miruku that moves through his system like a transfusion of milky corpuscles.”
Healed.
Credits:
- Image: mennyfox55
- Quotes in quotations: Patti Smith, M Train.
- Related Posts: Commuting Series

Oh pal, you write so beautifully, but I hate to hear of your pain. Sounds a bit like sciatica to me, and THAT is no fun. Glad that you’re feeling better (though sad that you discovered this at 2:49 a.m. 😞 Wishing you an easy glide into the weekend!
Thank you Lori. I appreciate it. It’s so much better today. Living the dream coming to earlier in the week. Have a great weekend.
a quick reminder of how human we are. the cyborg thing just isn’t working –
Yes Beth. Right there…
Our fickle flesh, clutching our attention by the throat. We have no choice until it decides to let go.
Beautifully and evocatively captured Sandy.
We have no choice but to pay attention. Be well, David.
Yes, thank you Carolann. Have a good weekend.
So well written – I only wish that your muse in this instance had not shown up. Hope you are well.
Awww, thank you Bonnie. I am so much better today. Have a great weekend.
Hope you plan to take it easy this weekend.
Thank you Peggy. That’s the plan. Appreciate it. Have a good weekend.
That sounded very uncomfortable. We all felt your pain. Great writing. Glad it has shifted, it makes us appreciate good health.
Thank you Karen. It is dormant for now. And I’m feeling much better. I does appreciate those days when everything is working.
I’m glad you’re better now. Pain, day after day is a real…. hmm, unpleasantry. I hope it doesn’t return. Great writing David.
Thanks Debi. Appreciate your kind words and thoughts. I’m healed (for the moment) Onward.
Really good stuff. Glad to hear you have savored your miruku!
Thank you Catherine. I did! Hope you are well.
Those days make us appreciate the other days the more. The miracle of everything functioning as intended. The birds’ song. Excellent writing, David. And happy you are feeling better.
Almost good as new Helen. Thank you for the kind words and wishes. Have a great weekend.
OMG…I think we were all in pain there for a bit. Stay well, David!
Thank you Carol
Pains come to teach us that you are not paying attention to where you should. Thanks God you are healed but had to go through it whole week? Have a nice time.
Thanks Indira. We are back (BACk) at 95%.