The view from a wheelchair gives
A fresh perspective on distance,
Obstacles, social interaction.
I sit while others stand. I am
Among friends but alone. I need
Special consideration. When moving
By myself, I am a hazard. My wheels
Are silent. My face is below their line of
Sight. My chair gets caught in doorways,
Rolls over toes, tangles me in pity.
I can walk a short distance with my cane,
But always with extra caution - fearing
Loss of balance, remembering falls -
Like a dancer who cannot feel her feet and
No longer trusts the body that once knew
How to dance. I stumble, self-conscious,
Shamed by awkwardness, shamed by pride.
Each day some little failure makes me forget
My victories.
