These days (poem 9 for April)
These days
something other than me
braces my knee, something
puffy
that has eaten whatever once
sort of prettily trotted or gavotted,
garroting it
with a palindrome of pain (meaning that it hurts
both coming and going.)
Oh knee, once so synched with thought
you linked (without even thinking)
where I wanted to be
with where I was not.
Oh bee’s knee, please, oh Honey–
won’t you come back
to this old joint.
****************************************
9th poem for April, National Poetry Month, to my left knee, which, unfortunately, is really suffering right now. Written for Susie Clevenger’s prompt on Real Toads about bracelets. This has been edited since first posting as I mistakenly used the word palimpsest for palindrome! Agh!
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ManicDDaily 
April 7, 2016 at 9:18 am
I can identify with this. Lovely way to explain the pain.
April 7, 2016 at 9:32 am
I hope he will, K. Some days a sore thumb is better than none, goes for him as well.
Knees, real, literally. I have a artificial knee joint replacement, been having it since 2011. Until last year I played golf on it, once or twice a year. The scare isn’t very bad, I showed my knees on Day Five. I think you missed it, I got LOTS of compliments for my pretty ones. 🙂
..
April 7, 2016 at 9:44 am
This is beautifully poignant and intense..!
April 7, 2016 at 10:22 am
You poor baby. Knee pain is the worst. And unfortunately the best thing to do is just sit down, which isn’t really what we want to do. We have stairs in our house, and my knees are always throbbing. Also my nees. … I especially like the first three lines and the last three. You are very clever. Bee’s. Honey. “Bee’s knees.” … Smart. … I also like that there are so many meanings hiding in “joint.”
April 7, 2016 at 10:46 am
I can’t even like it…I’m sorry, knee pain is no joke. I hope it feels better soon.
April 7, 2016 at 10:54 am
I shouldn’t smile to read of physical discomfort but I loved the word play.
April 7, 2016 at 11:02 am
Kerry–on reading your comment I realize I meant palindrome not palimpsest! I don’t know why your comment triggered that recognition but thanks, am fixing right now! k.
April 7, 2016 at 12:43 pm
love the play on words – especially that last stanza
April 7, 2016 at 1:00 pm
So, SO much cleverness in here. I am deeply enamored of this phrase:
“with a palindrome of pain (meaning that it hurts
both coming and going.)”
Sorry for the pain. Thankful for the poem.
April 7, 2016 at 1:31 pm
I would quote from the above, “Sorry for the pain. Thankful for the poem.” Hope she doesn’t mind. Enjoyed your poem very much.
April 7, 2016 at 3:13 pm
Knee pain… so bad when it hits, love how your could tongue-in-cheek-tell it though… Hope for soon recovery.
April 7, 2016 at 4:23 pm
Ouch! I know the feeling. I am slipping on an elastic brace each time I get on the treadmill. Hope yours feels better soon. Thanks for writing and sharing in the garden!
April 7, 2016 at 6:02 pm
Lol, only a fellow knee-sufferer (me) can appreciate the nuances, loved the plea to come back to this old joint.
April 7, 2016 at 7:52 pm
Knee pain is evil. Fortunately I’ve never had to personally endure it, but know quite a few who have. At least you have a clever poem to show for your troubles! Feel better soon.
April 8, 2016 at 7:01 am
Our freedom hinges on ligaments and joints whose henges are of weaker stuff than the spirit. Oh well and be well.
April 8, 2016 at 7:27 am
The true laments of age are full of this sense of surprised betrayal–all the physical machinery that we have run our lives with suddenly develops a will of its own to unwind, break down–an entropy that is painful in more ways than just the physical. The word ‘palindrome’ is genius here–I instantly related. Hope things get better soon, k–and thanks for giving us these gems while you go through the process.
April 8, 2016 at 8:02 am
Oh, I feel your pain, K! I have known the longing for when the days they took you everywhere you wanted to be with ease. May the hopeful plea from your lips to His ear to return to that bliss once more be granted soon..
April 8, 2016 at 8:47 am
Sorry about your knee, but glad you got the poem out of it.
April 8, 2016 at 12:49 pm
I adore this! The palindrome line made me laugh out loud!
April 8, 2016 at 11:32 pm
damn there’s a lot of that pain going around right now… ~
April 9, 2016 at 11:50 am
Sorry, k…hope the bees knees heal and you eventually walk away from the palindrome. God bless!
April 9, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Thank you, Lynn. k .