A while ago I wrote a series
of body parts poems. Different
body parts then. I was younger,
even a little, and body parts get older
when we do.
And now, were I to write
about my own particular body parts,
teeth for instance, or skin,
or the occasional twinge which I google
because there are bulletin boards full
of people who twinge, even doctors online
24/7 to answer your questions and tell you
every possible thing your twinge could be
these doctors are all over the world there is no time
when you could not hear an expert on twinging
were you so inclined and I am not
now my body parts, intact and imperfect
as I am as we are people in bodies
now when I think about my friend Anita’s new knees,
or Terry’s, or Marianna’s hip, or Felix’s teeth,
or Dan’s reconstructed shoulder, or Bruce’s large brown eyes,
now when I see a friend and her body parts I see
a good friend and I know how little body parts can matter
even if they are twinging.
