One day, on my way through a shopping mall I was asked the question that begins the following. I remember very little of the remainder of that outing - there was too much going on inside.

"Do you suffer from back pain?"

Asked a smiling, blond

Florence Nightingale

Whose badge proclaimed

"Hi, I'm Cherry" -

Indeed.

"Back pain? No..."

I answered, in half-surprise

And awakened memories

Washed over me in waves

"No..."

She bid me farewell

With a wish that my day would be nice

And I went my way.

There were no words to explain

That it was not my back

But my heart, perhaps my soul

That needed care

And the pain would not ease again

for some time.

© Copyright 2007 by Kevin J Mackey