the way it for me today

June 24, 2025

Hi dear readers,

I'm 73 and get around badly on my stage 4 osteoarthritic knees.  I use a walker.  My plans began a few years back.  With no money except Social Security and gifts from friends.  I knew I'd need a mobility scooter some day.  I've lost close to 160 pounds with more weight loss planned.  Mobility scooters are rated by weight.  More weight, more money.  I grew very heavy sitting with and caring for my demented mother.  But yes,  I opened my mouth and shoveled in food.  I weighed 530 pounds when I moved to the Iowa City area.  I'm now around 370 pounds and going down.

A mobility scooter has to moved somewhere in order to go into shops and malls....or parks.  That takes a dedicated carrier.  With gifts from friends I purchased  this carrier for my 20 year old jeep.  Used, normally priced new $170 to $240.... this was for sale for $100.  

Months ago I acquire a huge sail for free.

When I'm able to find a mobility vehicle

I'm going to sew a cover.  If haven't checked lately, sail cloth ranges $28 to $36 per yard.  I estimate I have 20 plus yards I acquired yards free from a nice man cleaning out his shop.  I have yet to take out the sail from its huge duffle, but there's time.

This message is my prayer to the universe

To help me get an electric scooter of sufficient strength and power to help me around the rest of my years.  Here I am as of mid-June 2025.  Ì

If you Or the universe can help in some way my PayPal account is: rikwrybac@yahoo.com 

I'm grateful for everything I have now.  My life.  My new friends in  Coralville and Iowa City.  My old friends from Rapid City, South Dakota.  My poetry tutors, my simple inspirations.  Oh,  out of the over 560 poems here, I hope you find just one you like.  Who knows.  I may have written just one good poem.  One great poem?  Probably not.  But that's for the ages to determine.  Your PayPal gifts?  Simple gratitude is all I have.

Barry G. Wick

  

Survivor

Survivor

The silence of my younger years

has become the silence

of my older times

The world around me growing up

hated me

The religious claimed they were

salt of the earth

Any farmer knows

if they spread salt on the earth

nothing grows

They spread salt on my life

Yet through that poison

I still grew

Then HIV then COVID

Still with all around me

I've shut down

What is missing

Is love

Life to me now

Is like picking 

Tiny black lint

Out of a new white towel

Sisyphus weeps

If being homosexual is life

For you

Or transgendered

Anything different

South Dakota

Is a damn horrible place

Or anyplace where people

Believe in hate

Teach hate

Speak hate

See the world through 

Their hate eyes

And if a part of the indigenous

Where your ancestors lived

Is where you are hated

Not all no but enough

Enough

Barry G. Wick