Story of the Woman Who Grew

author's note:

A poem of resurrection for Easter.


STORY OF THE WOMAN WHO GREW

Allow me to tell you
the story of the woman
who escaped a trap
by chewing off her arm.

For years afterward, she hid the wound—
she didn’t want anyone to pity her

especially those men
who wished to lend a hand.
She gave them all her foot
because instinctively, she knew:

she could never find her power
in the arms of another.
Deep within
she understood:

by dealing with her deficit
she’d become stronger
as she worked her way
through this world.

And so she dealt.
And in the process
learned so much.
She learned:

you must grieve
but not too much—too much
and you’ll be too weak
to deal with the loss.

She learned
you must shrink small things
so you can carry the large.

She learned
how to look into the mirror.

And so, in time, she saw
that she’d grown a new arm!—

as long and as strong
as her other arm
which had grown
longer and stronger
during her education.

She saw:
she could now reach all the way up
and squeeze sweet rainwater
from that dark ripe cloud.

And when she put her hands together
and formed a circle with her arms
what a circumference!—
what a big embrace!

But she’s not done yet, no—
now, she wonders:

could my span grow even more?

© 2020, Michael R. Patton
poet, heal thyself: poetry ebook