Untasted wine slopped
When her fingers, weary, dropped

Every vice did suckle
rolling pills from nail to knuckle

Cold filter, between clenched teeth
split and bent, paused unspent

At every fork in the path
lay another crutch.

She traded splints, slings and casts
for a medicinal cane.

It was important to still, with illusion
appear to walk, even if in truth, lame.