The Barefoot Jogger And The One-Legged Man

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The barefoot jogger ran 

along the shore 

then up to the boulevard.
 

A ten mile run ended
in front of the post office

where a one-legged man

leaned against

a lamp post.

The one-legged man
repeated the same sentence
Ten times.

I lost my leg.
 I lost my leg. 

I lost my leg.
...
 
Ten times.

Once for each mile
The barefoot jogger ran.

The barefoot jogger 

reached into the pocket

of his running shorts.

He gave the one-legged man

a sweat-stained

ten dollar bill.
 

One dollar for each mile

the barefoot jogger ran.

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Footnotes

THE BAREFOOT JOGGER

AND THE ONE-LEGGED MAN

is the copyrighted property

of the LCSoL

Originally written in 2009,
this poem was given birth
at the Belmont Shore
post office

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