I have thoughts of life without pain;
I attempt to walk with canes without pain;
I seek sleep to dream without pain;
I want to feed my birds, squirrels, outdoor cats
  without pain;
I attempt to cook a meal,
  just peel a potato, without pain.

Pain...is a thief: it robs you of mobility,
it robs you of appetite,
it tries to rob you of laughter,
it tries to rob you of caring,
it tries to rob you of positivity and imagination.
This thief...this thief... it robs you...this thief!

Tests are made to reason out the pain:
deteriated lumbar disks;
cracked vertebra;
cysts on both kidneys;
"mass" of one adrenal gland'
  atop left kidney;
exposed nerve endings;
enflamed sciatica; and the "holdback":
an abdominal aortic aneurysm -
this latter causinng "extreme risk" for any repair
of the aneurysm or treatments
  to rid me of the thief!

My strength is in my Faith and Humor...
these I will not allow the thief to take from me...
   try as it may.
Alas, through the clouds, come my memories,
and I realize somewhere out there
a Garcia and a Morgan are watching over me,
and the Thief doesn't stand a chance!

© Jackie (Micke) Jinks, Mar. 2014

Alas! I love that word!