Lately

September 14, 2022 ~ Kenneth P. Gurney ~ Leave a comment

Paul’s dreams focused on the olfactory.
Unknown smells of obscure origins.
Smoke infused with grief.
Wet metal of a bell awaiting the call to prayer.

He recalled being five years old
and pushing a feather up his nose.
His first day In kindergarten
it was crayons.

At Sunday school the teachers
never brought in frankincense or myrrh
for them to scratch and sniff.
He never determined if his newborn brother was special.

Paul used his nose to detect Death’s approach
and managed to sidestep each grasp
before the boney hand
landed upon his shoulder.

Minneapolis

July 10, 2021 ~ Kenneth P. Gurney ~ Leave a comment

While the ER doctors
debated what to do
about my shattered nose
with the bridge
split wide open
it was visible
to all the world
for about four hours
so I renamed my nose
Minneapolis
for the I-thirty-five span
that collapsed
into the Mississippi River
back in twenty-oh-seven.

Broken Helmet

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 ~ Kenneth P. Gurney ~ Leave a comment

My blood left my body
without my leave.

Three powers acted against my good will:
my pumping heart

gravity’s pull on my unbalanced bicycle
and the gash in my broken nose.

Blood did not gush
but dripped dripped dripped like a leaky faucet.

My nose screamed endlessly.
My mouth did not cooperate to give my nose voice.

Exposed to the air
my blood became oxygen rich.

Exposed to the sun
while pooling on the ground

my blood separated
into plasma and cell platelets.

My blood clotted quicker on the ground
than on my broken nose.

The blood freed from the tyranny of my body
sang jubilee and liberation.

Its songs were so beautiful
I asked my blood to sing at my funeral.

The EMTs hearing my muttered request
assured me I was not going to die.

postscript

On 14 May 2021 I had a bicycle mishap and broke my nose while the ground gashed my nose open. The first person to come toward me in aid, blanched upon seeing me and got others to help. I did not realize how much blood was on my face, arm and ground when I waved to get their attention. After 4 hours in the ER, I was sent home. Taking a Lyft ride home (during Covid) from the ER is surreal. Technically my nose is healed, but still tender where my glasses press on it. My broken bicycle helmet is replaced and I am bicycling again and past the jitters.