I remember when I used to scowl at people like me Faces full of grimes and dirt. Stench was all they could be Their world all about the taking Hands out for the begging Remember thoughts of, "How dare they?" Wanting what I work for each day I didn't want the story Just wanted them out of my Steel City It was on hour twelve of the third shift When I felt the blade of that forklift So swift, I didn't feel the blade At that moment, a life of one leg was made So much pain, my voice lost its scream Clean cut, no seam One tired driver, my life and body now apart An unknown door to an unknown start How it all went this way I don't know The pain sent me to places I didn't want to go The feeling of a leg that was no longer there Liquid drips were the only way I could bare Months of needed relief, turned into years The only way to harness the tears I had to find my own stuff What they gave was never enough I just needed the pain to go away Something to make the pain and anger go away How could he do this to me? How could he be so blind he couldn't see? Who I was, taken, lift with torment From another who chalked it all up as an accident? He still has a home Two legs to walk around on and roam I am left with me A blanket and all the mistrust I can see Out here can be so lonely Just with me and me only I have what I have and some others will take And I can't run when they have eyes on my stake I tremble at the first peep I wish I could just sleep I had it all when I was twenty five Now I have a face that makes me sixty five Frowned at by passersby with shame Kicking at me, their person with a face with no name I just want a proper piece of this society Not to be forgotten in this Steel City I want to know where I can get a meal In this closed City of Steel
—Andrew Scott
© Andrew Scott. All rights reserved. The contents of this page may not be copied or reprinted, either physically or electronically, without permission from the author. For more information, contact Andrew Scott.