Ovi Poem, Poem

Look At Yourself: An Ovi

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Ronovan has created for us the Ovi Poetry Challenge 51:
our inspiration is the word ‘steps’. Here is my ovi.

Image credit to Catrin Welz-Stein
as seen at Poetics at dVerse

No time for speculation
Just truthful examination
To reach an evaluation
Which step I will take next

At times my body fails me
I’m an old and twisted tree
And my eyes can plainly see
Limitations in my way

Scans with the neurologist
Jabs from my orthopedist
Prescriptions at the pharmacist
One damn step at a time

When I look inside myself
I see I’m sitting on a shelf
I may need a little help
Sometimes the climb is steep

Keep up with the marching band
Reaching for an outstretched hand
To gently lift me when I land
Stumbling at the bottom step

NAR©2024

Ovi Poetry Challenge 51: STEPS is your inspiration.

This is “Look At Yourself” by Uriah Heep

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NAR©2017-present.

44 thoughts on “Look At Yourself: An Ovi”

  4. Ovipositively perfect expression, N. See that geezer over there, sharing a seat on that aging life raft, like you on the shelf? He’s me.

    You might dig this:

    Ovi: Legacy | Scrambled, Not Fried (wordpress.com)

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  5. You nailed it. Growing old is not for the faint of heart, or the stiff of hip and shoulder. And yet we carry on, look — but not too closely lest we stop and gape — and lessen the demands to keep the body going. Uffda!

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    1. The only way, and sometimes it’s a baby step or even a crawl. Whatever it takes at whatever speed we are able.

      Thanks, my friend. Every once in a while I need to address my arthritis. It’s therapeutic. New med started yesterday so fingers crossed. 🤞🏼

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      1. Yes. Forward movement in miniscule amounts if need be.

        I have just reread it, now knowing it was inspired by your arthritis. It is so frustrating, isn’t it? Our bodies failing us bit by bit.

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        1. Frustrating. That’s a good word for it. I have good and bad days; the good far outweigh the bad and I’m on a new med that is helping a lot. So I take baby steps when necessary and if the guy behind me thinks I’m climbing the stairs to slowly, he can walk around me.

          Thanks, my friend!

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          1. Bloody hell. Glad the new med is helping.
            I’ve been seeing a chiropractor for 1.5 months for a shoulder (tendonitis) and my piriformis/ischial tendon and it’s taking forever to heal. I’m beyond frustrated.
            Damn.straight he can go around!

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                  1. I am just so frustrated because I am unable to do any of the exercise I enjoy and just feel like I’m turning to mush and my muscles to jelly!

                    It is something that I am keeping in the back of my mind.

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                    1. I know that feeling of frustration. I need to get out and walk but the tingling down my legs to my toes feels like I’m standing on a live wire and walking is no fun. My new meds are helping but once I start walking again, it’s going to be baby steps till I get back to where I was. Frustrating!! 🤬

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                    2. In my case, sitting is the WORST. Especially in my car. So fucking painful. Been like this since March 3. Depending how I sit, the pain goes down to just below the front of my knee. Stretching is painful, too. This is for the birds!

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                    3. That’s your piriformis, sister! It goes down the IT Band of your leg with a strangle hold which wraps around your knee and tightens up like a big fat rubber band stretched to the max. Been there! I had two knee replacements (same knee!) and I still get that tight feeling. It’s the pits!

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                    4. I kow it is. Didn’t I say so? It was so damn sudden, too. There was not a particular movement where I said to myself shit… it just started hurting and hasn’t stopped since.
                      Ugh.

                      Liked by 1 person

    1. Sometimes finding the accompanying video is really difficult and other times not. In this case it is the latter. No one is forcing me to incorporate music into my writing; I just feel it makes my blog complete. Heep was a given today and I’m so glad you appreciate hearing it.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Cee Tee.

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    1. So glad you picked up on that, Destiny! It was most deliberate. In fact, I was hoping to add more expletives throughout my ovi but they didn’t fit and I am not in favor of gratuitous cursing simply for shock effect. Too much cursing removes the gravitas from a perfectly good curse word and makes any work sub par.

      I appreciate your comments today, Destiny. Thank you.

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    1. You are one of the people I knew would relate to this poem. I’m so glad I have an audience who feels my pain, something I don’t write about too often. I’ve had arthritis since 2000; that’s a long time to suffer. Lately I have been feeling generally unwell and have been advised to see a neurologist. However, I have started a new med which is doing wonders for me. This ovi is a reminder for me to keep an eye on myself and do what I can to feel better. 24 years of pain is a very long time; finding some relief is a Godsend.

      Blessings, Sweets. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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      1. 24 years is a long time to suffer, well done on you on pulling through with so much hope and happiness still, I know others would have crumbled under such hardships but you keep on going no matter what you’ve been through, it’s an inspiration.

        Please do look after yourself, I hope the neurologist has nothing bad to say and you start feeling well again.

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        1. Lovely message, Sweets! There have been plenty of times when I felt like crumbling, believe me! I’m no martyr, though, so if I’m in pain I’ll take my meds and carry on.

          I was prescribed a new med for the nerve pain I’ve been having and it’s helping. If it keeps doing what it’s supposed to do, I may not need to see the neurologist.

          Thanks for your support and encouragement!

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