Amputee Poem by Christina Simmons

There is a name for it having limb severed: AMPUTATION in my case
Left arm cut off at the elbow
not of the leg, you understand?
In grand dad situation it had been
His right leg and to me as a child
I found it rather fascinating so often
I'd be in awe of grand dad's bits just laid
On the floor

Tall handsome pigmental man:
never a groan or moan of any discomforts
But come to think about it there were
Times I'd see at the corner of my eyes
Grand dad would sit wearily rubbing
his stump never stopping to think anything
Out of the ordinary

A talented man, grand dad continued
with his baking of cakes and bread
Selling to all the local women:
flirtatious fellow, chap to you and me
(much to grand ma's annoyance.)
That was his nature: business man in every sense of the word

He also more or less ran his farm single handedly
With the occasional help from his grand sons
Until they all left to do their thing

Spread their wings to see the rest of the world
Forgetting this very positive and proud figure
That was my grand dad

Bar one Bonny a devoted grand son
spend days just dwelling on the farm:
Adamantine and grinding
Only to later die of cancer of the colon
At the age of 60: poor Bonny lived a very
Sad existence

They never spoke of their pain
But I could see deep down in their soul
What was buried and hidden way deep inside

When grand dad passed away to meet the ancestors:
he was as sick as a dog;
The affliction this man had before he finally
Joined the other angels was immense too much to bear
He would rolled and whimper all over
The floor;
When he was ready to fade away
He didn't recognise who I was
His treasured grand daughter



2/12/16
Sylvestina Simmons