Thoughts wrap
around life bones
like ligaments
keep the parts in
relation to the whole
supple for flexibility
like tendons
bands of fibrous tissue
connect muscle to bone
carry tensile forces
produce movement, fluid, propel.

Hierarchical structures
difficult to quantify
nonlinear, viscoelastic behavior
difficult to analyze.
Then come you
the fall, hard.
Stretched, twisted, bruised
soft-tissue damage, great
body fluids puddling
mixing with blood.

Breaks are clean
even compound ones
reset and repair
periosteum and
marrow cells
replicate and transform
cohesive strength
returns
good as new
memories not as strong.
Severe soft-tissue damage
where layer upon layer is torn
requires a much longer time
to heal.

***

How is it with injury
one forgets how to move
forward
left and right
down and up
making small adjustments
in the circles of life?

Though exercise is painful
immobilization is the enemy
of healing.
Baby steps, the current goal
moving unassisted in a
straight line, with little pain
no crutch to lean on
moving forward step by step
hoping
tomorrow
there will be dancing.