Disability

Disability isn’t always easily observed.

Not the tricycle on the sidewalk missing one wheel,

Or the china doll on the dresser with no eyes.

Disability sometimes means, just barely cracked.

Like the vase on the piano Mother always turned

A certain way, so you wouldn’t see that it was broken

Unless you picked it up and examined closely.

And you couldn’t fill that vase with water;

It wouldn’t hold a bouquet of garden roses,

But was always pretty sitting there

With some dried leaves and cattails,

Or a few nicely arranged silk flowers.

And therefore was, too useful to discard.