One Small Step

Get up
Slowly
Painfully slowly
Lose your balance

Bump down
And try again
Then again

Until finally
Shakily
You're on your feet

Shoulders back
Head up
Look where you're going
Not at the floor

Tuck your bottom in
Heels down
Pick up your feet
Don't scrape your toes

Straighten your knees
Stand up straight
Stop sagging
Sideways tipping is not recommended

You've got lovely
Boobs
Show them off by standing
Properly

And while you're at it
Your tummy button
Needs pulling towards
Your spine

All that effort
Yet to take a single step
The marathon goal is
Overwhelming

Death grip
On the walker
Deep breath
And off

Dragging toes
Amid reminders
"pick up your feet"
"ah ah no toe walking"
Threats of ripped socks
And sore toes
Can't stop spasticity's
Siren call

Slowly
Painfully
Fearfully
Shakily

Heel
Heel
Heel
Heel, Emma!

"saggy pants!'
"think how you're standing"
Frustration
I'm doing my best

Knees lock
Hips click
Feet turn in
Heels miss the floor

I wobble
Lose my balance
Fear grips
But so do
Strong helping hands

Strong helping hands
Aren't always strong enough
The floor and I are frequent friends
And sometimes
I introduce
Those
Strong helping hands
To the floor as well

Finally I'm there
Across the room
There's more walking
To be done
I'm told

But breathless
With sore hips
And very tired
I need rest.

I sit there
And after all that effort
Think
Is it any
Wonder
I prefer my
Wheelchair?

I'm not wheelchair bound
I'm wheelchair set free.