17 Steps

I stand at the bottom of the stairs,

feeling annoyed.

Why does it have to be here,

here with all these steps?

I start up the stairs, first one foot,

then bring the other to be same step,

then repeat , one step at a time

After 4 or 5 steps

I feel the tension in the back of my leg

Right on the edge of pain

And then 3 or 4 more steps

and it does turn into pain

At step number 12 I stop for an instant

And realize I am short of breathe

Step 14, 15 breathe deep, gasp for air,

Pull it in

Step number 17...wait, they said there were only 17 steps

and I'm not nearly there

Step 18

"I can do this"  I tell myself and I continue,

Gasping for air

and talking to the pain in my legs

Step 20

I continue, one step at a time

And then at last I am at the top

almost instantly I start thinking

About how I will get back down

When

The evening is over

I stand at step one at the top of the stairs

And

I fantasize about sitting on my butt

Bumping down the stairs like a two year old

Step 2

No, I will be an adult and go down the stairs

the same way I came,

One step at a time.

Step 13

About half way down I realize

that I am the lucky one

For there are those who no matter

how much they wanted,

Could not make it up those stairs

At all

By Phyllis Emmel

October 2007