Donal Mahoney- A Poem

A Life Without Guard Rails

You think you got problems?

You probably do but would 

you trade with Phillip,

a Vietnam vet who still thinks 

Agent Orange lurks in 

every puddle he steps 

around after a heavy rain,

who shovels snow, 

cuts lawns and rakes leaves

to make his disability  

check go further?

He has a snow shovel

but someone stole his mower

and the grass is growing

and customers are waiting.

He saved three months

to buy a used car to replace

the van that died and that car 

died yesterday in the street but 

the payments are still due.

Some people think Phillip  

causes his own problems 

but no one has the answer 

as to how he can change 

a life that hasn't changed 

much since Vietnam.

It took ten years 

to qualify for disability.

He’s been doing odd jobs

and he’ll keep doing them 

until he can no longer walk.

He says a Veterans Home

has promised to take him in.

Donal Mahoney

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Nominated for Best of the Net and Pushcart prizes, Donal Mahoney has had poetry and fiction published in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Some of his work can be found at  http://eyeonlifemag.com/the-poetry-locksmith/donal-mahoney-poet.html