MT Repetitions

Passionate fellow
lots of smiles and cheer
linking through to overflowing optimism.

He lost the ring finger of his
left hand to a shark.
He was in shallow water, wading
after a Frisbee.
He reached down and a 3′ shark
took his finger for a glinting worm
and snapped it off.
Wedding ring and all.

He lost his pinkie finger of his
left hand three years earlier while
splitting wood with his friend,
Steve.
The wedge had gotten stuck -
he reached in to adjust it
and Steve swung away.

He lost his index finger on his
left hand when he was twelve.
Slammed in his father’s car door.
Accidental – but the damage was
severe and they had to chop it off.

He lost his thumb on his
left hand to the dog when he was an infant.

And this passionate fellow
of smiles and cheer
linking through to overflowing optimism
still waves with his left hand as he drives.
Secretly
deep inside
he enjoys knowing that he
has no choice but to flip the world off.

He liked to wear his scarf
on windy days
under his windbreaker
just to fill the gaps

He liked to wear his baseball cap
on clear days
to protect his expanded forehead
from the sun

On windy clear days he wouldn’t wear
his cap.
It might blow away.
Instead, his head
burned.

—————–

The sun warms even through the bite of a bitter blustery wind.