The Hard Human Surface

I'm doing a brave pushup
near the center of the road
my arms fully extended
as I hold my head up high
but with my back legs paralyzed
and positioned there helplessly
as I scan all sides for danger
though unable to move
out the way of the next car
already approaching

I'm stunned and shocked
surprisingly calm considering
after all what can I do
I always do my best
I'm very careful as a rule
and run so very fast that
no others ever catch me
running up and down trees
just a gray blur speeding
upside down the underside
of long thick branches
until you see me leaping
into mid air as if gravity
weren't real and landing
on a distant bending twig
then onto the ground and
onto the hard human surface
and quickly start across
in a flow of short athletic hops
into the heavy moving wall
that appeared out of nowhere
and just as quickly disappeared

I semi-stand here tall as can be
surging warm vigor of life rising
keen mind pulling me forward
beginning to drag myself
I'd simply been trying
to conduct my business
I have an acorn to dig
I'm hungry and now I hurt
I'm hopeful and long for my tree
I feel warmth entering my legs
maybe I will feel the grass again
I hope for the grass
I hope

Afterword
Squirrel makes the grass in this true story.
Temporary paralysis from glancing blow off tire.
Nerves can recover fairly quickly.
No I didn't hit the squirrel.
It was like that when I came along.
I once fell flat onto my back
from a short height and had
temporary back paralysis
lasting a few minutes
Scary and I wasn't even
in the middle of the road
and not a squirrel
unfortunately