Ode To My Toes Poem by Cameron Gallant

Wiggled my toes and I could see
How often my toes had helped me
Dirt here and there with sprouts of toe hair
Swollen from the stingers of bees

I went walking outside, it was dawn
I set off barefoot ‘cross the lawn
Felt like losing weight, and I’ve done that, it’s great
Except all my toes are now gone

What happened, you ask and I’ll tell
Misfortune occurred when I fell
I fell on a nest, which was the first test
My toes only started to swell

But after the bees then came a breeze
Temperature dropped and I began to freeze
And then right on cue, my toes all turned blue
I shivered and fell to my knees

It did seem the worst then and there
But then on my neck stood my hair
A stray dog ran amuck, it was just my poor luck
He decided my toes, he wanted to tear

Perhaps he just wanted to eat
But he wasn’t too smart ‘cause toes can’t hold much meat
But he still took a bite and I had to fight
So he wouldn’t next take off my feet

I pulled away quick and I smacked him
Pried open his mouth tried not to lose a limb
Then my toes I took out, they looked freaky without
The rest of my feet, I was angry at him

But I ran back inside best I could
If you’ve ever lost toes should’ve know that I would
I was in such a panic, my fear was titanic
I called Mr. Doctor who told me I should

Put all of my toes in a dish
Then think of the toe fairy and make a wish
“And if you have luck, you might get a buck”
Said my doc, then he said I might perish

But I am still here and I’m sad
Now wiggling my toes in a dish feeling bad
If only I knew, if I had had I clue
I would have enjoyed what I had

Still, maybe someday I’ll get back my toes
Someday I’ll get a doctor who knows
But for now I will thank, may there be no mistake
This poem is an ode to my toes

(Published in Print in 'DeSSerted Island: Poem Collection' - 2014)