A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK: When My Life Changed Poetry Contest
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A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK
Poem written for and submitted to “When My Life Changed” Poetry Contest, Kai Micheal Neumann, sponsor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Early morning, sun dripping gold over weathered fences.
I was running, feet rhythmically striking the pavement.
Then a sudden jolt, my foot caught in a yawning crack.
I remember the gasp, the sharp intake of breath.
The sky spun, a dizzying blur of blue.
The asphalt, bitter and gritty, greeted me.
Pain erupted, my sturdy ribs shattering like porcelain dreams.
My taut and athletic back, now a crumpled map of hurt.
My shoulder, a tattered sail, flapping in the wind.
I lay on the ground, a helpless marionette with frayed strings.
&&&&
Underneath fluorescent glow of the emergency room, the bright white sheets
embraced me.
The air was thick with antiseptic, the scent of fear mingling with shock.
I succumbed to the lullaby of anesthesia, the world fading to a distant hum.
I dreamt of running—a memory wrapped in gauze and quiet longing.
The surgeons cut and stitched, the confluence of metal and skill.
After, I lived in a cocoon of pain and immobility, counting the months of
physical therapy.
Months stretched like silent shadows, the world outside a blur .
I, a statue, saw the seasons change—my body and spirit temporarily
tethered to the earth.
I still remember the freedom of running, the wind in my hair, the earth
beneath my feet.
Now I find solace in walking, each stride a careful sigh, a bittersweet
reminder of what I lost.
The world feels foreign, though, my back a crooked spine of broken dreams,
three inches lost to gravity, the weight of time pressing down.
I reflect upon the journey, the scars on my skin, and the lessons learned
in quiet moments.
I am a different sort of strong now, hunched over, but unbroken, moving
forward with faith and grace—one step at a time.
Copyright © Sara Etgen-Baker | Year Posted 2025
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