Adult Swim

There are people I keep close to my heart

many of those people show up at my doorstep

I have photos with all of them

I pray for my friends and family everyday

plus my community and all our customers

there is so much pain

and love out there

but let us focus on the love

***

Hannah said hello

told me I’ve created

a new vortex in Big Sky

I am changing people’s hearts

***

At the farmer’s market

the first person we ran into

wife died of ALS

we cried and cried

then we ran into Whitney’s mom

she has ALS but can still walk

but she can’t talk or  eat

she had a dry erase board

we wrote to each other

***

I am unable to use a muscle below my neck

When a fly or mosquito is on my face

I am helpless

I am dependent on others

to swat

people can do what they want

to me

Jackie washes my face

with a warm washcloth

I have itches

I get thirsty

with a line up of drinks

in front of me

I can’t drink one of them

***

I went swimming

yesterday at Spanish Peaks

it was an adventure

they had a handicap chair lift

I was strapped in the chair

let down into the pool

Jackie unstrapped me

then held me

as I floated

my first reaction was to

bawl my eyes out

then I calmed down

we put my arms on

two blue noodles

I swam with Jackie

holding me

my face shivering

my teeth chattering

until the sun warmed me

I swam for almost an hour

it felt good to be weightless

Jackie had a smile on her face

the entire time

she had her arms around me

holding me up

the entire time