Walking Forward

Two silver disks for feet--

Two short steel poles for legs--

On this bitter winter day
he wore tan shorts.  

Steel legs can’t feel the cold.

A t-shirt--

no coat or sweater.

Nothing to take off,

remove

or place

 in the black plastic tray.

Totally open available for airport security.

His only hand held

his boarding pass.

While his other half arm swung steadily,

precisely counter-balancing

his tilting rocking hips

moving forward

step…..by small step…..by small step.

A soldier back from Iraq?

A baby born that way?

His off-kilter face

Didn’t really say.

I do not, will not, can not offer more—

than what he offered me--

the chance to stop

to pause

to notice

one person’s walking forward 
towards 
his life.