Oh I love these legs
That is why I must continue on.
Despite all of the hatred and war
The unawareness that binds us
Our unknowing
Despite the daily struggle
And the physical and mental pain
I've worked hard for these legs and I won't
give them up so easily.

The long muscle from the hip to the knee
The knobbiness of the knee joint,
The firm, pliable calf muscle,
The ever-flexible ankle bone
Which elegantly connects
To a dainty, sloping foot
For these elements I must live.

Although
the body aches in bed,
There is no room to stretch or breathe,
I must be still for my partner and yet I can't
Because I itch all over,
My head is heavy and filled with liquid, with mucus
The systems in my body are out of my control
And my mind is clenching and gathering in and screaming out,
Sending spasm and needles throughout.

And yet-- the legs, the supple legs. . . .

Oh, but I grow older; they too, will go.
Beauty will leave you, grab onto something else,
Understand something else
But they are strong and supple now! They must carry me through!

They will be taken from you. They are not something to love so much.
They will give out.
They will break.
Become crippled.
They are only flesh and bones and the earth needs more of them
More and more and more to sustain! This earth is made of all the bones, don't you know?
Your beautiful bones will join the crowd.
The elements,
Mercury, uranium, teutonium, iron,
precious stones, amethyst, diamonds, pearls, shells, horns,
tree trunks, clouds, stars, whispers of ghosts,
Your bones are ideas
Your legs are not your own, my dear.
Here, let me take them from you now. Your time is up.

These legs will now be servicing a marble entry-way
in a crumbling Roman palace. Are you not happy?
The verticality of these pillars face up to the
Heavens and all of the gods will look down upon you.