I trudged <br />into the bus <br />plopped down <br />closed my eyes <br />when I heard a rattling sound <br />then a clank <br />and opening my eyes <br />spotted Pepsi bottle <br />on the floor <br />closed my eyes <br />and heard the bottle rattle <br />then, “Baby’s back, ” <br />from one of the <br />dope smokers <br />at the back of the bud <br />musta thrown it <br />now watched <br />when suddenly an old woman <br />struggled to her feet <br />while the bus clattered on <br />and just as she was upright <br />the Pepsi bottle hurtled <br />down the aisle <br />kicked by the dope smokers <br />and the old woman <br />stepped then fell <br />on her back <br />crying, “God. God. <br />I can’t move.” <br />The driver pulled to the curb <br />went to help but I called out, <br />“DON’T TOUCH HER <br />“injuries you cannot see <br />may be present <br />so the good you do <br />might cause irreversible harm <br />GET A DOCTOR GET A DOCTOR.” <br />As soon as <br />I entered my apartment <br />I mumbled <br />“Shoulda picked up <br />the damn bottle” <br />and that night <br />the sight of the old woman <br />kept sleep from me <br />and at 5: 03 in the morning <br />I wrote on my white wall: <br />TAKE BETTER CARE <br />in immense letters <br />continuing on <br />until <br />the first light of dawn.<br /><br />Charles Chaim Wax<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/when-hearts-are-crushed-by-vast-stones/
