30.1  In a Tight Sling

I am an infant
being carried by a stork
in a tight sling
dangling in mid air
legs like willow branches

(First published in Eucalypt, An Australian Tanka Journal, No. 12, May, 2012)

30.2   Old Baby in a Wheelchair

Like an infant in a pram
with its mommy or nanny,
I am an old baby in a wheelchair
with a young caregiver:
depending on her
to hoist me in a sling
between wheelchair
and bed or shower commode;
depending on her
to put me to bed
to sleep in my comfortable position;
depending on her
for personal grooming, companionship,
cooking, grocery shopping, house keeping.

I am an old baby in a wheelchair,
donning a long adult bib during meal times,
to prevent soups, sauces, curries
from tainting my garments;
to keep morsels of foods
off my garments and seat cushion—
no litter on my bed or the floor
after transfer.

I am an old baby in a wheelchair—
a skinny body
riddled with chronic pain;
a compromised immune system
subject to bacteria and virus attacks;
limited mobility,
vulnerable to falls,
subject to abuse and social isolation.

I am a senior lady in wheelchair
having no access to many places
but unlimited access on the internet
to keep my mind active.
Still a useful citizen,
capable of contributing to the community,
through sharing my experiences with others
in creative writing.

Une étoile est née. ‘A star is born’. By Claude Covo-Farchi from Paris, France. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. via-
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Stork_with_new-born_child.png

A caregiver hoisting a wheelchair patient.  Picture taken from ‘Divided leg patient lift sling with headrest’ at
http://www.rehabmart.com/product/divided-leg-patient-lift-sling-with-headrest-419.html

A Senior Woman in Wheelchair with a Laptop. Photo by Tyler Olson. Royalty free Stock photo, at
http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-senior-woman-sitting-wheelchair-using-laptop-midsection-hospital-image36579735

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© 2016 K-KLokePhD