Rubber Band

I remember how it felt, the day my back went out.

I was in the shower at Krista’s in Maryland, before her wedding.

I placed my right foot on the edge of the tub, leaned forward,

razor in hand when something connecting my thigh to my hip

stretched too far and gave out, like a rubber band pulled too far.

The connection intact but now fraught with slack,

something deep inside me went limp; I heard it in my bones

right before fire shot through my hip, down my leg.

Then everything went numb.

I fear a similar situation has happened in my mind;

something got pushed too far; I felt the band holding me together go slack,

felt fire shoot through me, singe me to ashes.

I’m still waiting for the numbness to come

and block this excruciating pain.