gospel of small steps

horisontal in the shade

barely existing

longing to be vertical and busy

on sunny planet Earth

you can’t lift an arm to seize

you can’t lift a leg to flee

still

dreaming is possible

so you close your physical eyes

hoping to see with your second sight

imagining

your mystical twin

a strength coach from Heaven

teaching a gospel

of small steps in the sun

healing the broken people

teaching the gentlest exercises

to the crushed

just one small movement of one finger

then another small movement building on the first

your strength coach is flourishing

alive in spirit and body

but like a statue serene

his biceps sculpted

his man bun blond and sweaty

in black t-shirt and red boxers black-dotted

he’s like a friendly masculine

ladybird in flight

in the sun

yesterday you couldn’t move a foot

today you can move one foot a little

tomorrow you can move both feet a little

maybe

in a few weeks you’ll try walking

Vera Kelgart  (with Herkimer diamond ‘Heart’)  2022