“A Tally of Scars” by Leanne Charette
Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “A Tally of Scars” by Leanne Charette.
A Tally of Scars
By Leanne Charette
my wheelchair footplate strips enamel
from the stove drawer–a sound I feel in the roots of my teeth.
each stir of the pot chisels deeper the wounds
of my labour carved in cupboards, doorframes.
pushrims like whetstones against oak veneer.
steam burns rose on my forearm as I strain
to drown rime-frosted chicken bones, call their marrow out
turn water to simmering gold. callouses cling
to spaetzle dough dropped into stock
with a splash, each dumpling surfaces alongside its twin
blooming scarlet across the backs of my hands.
rosemary bay leaf constellations
on the floor slipping between fingers as I season the broth,
scent the air crushed beneath my wheels.
my children’s spilled lego crunches under tires
as I cut carrots, slash onions, slice celery– each motion matched
by another gauged into wood, metal
skin. a sharp hiss my flesh makes faster than my throat
as the oven brands rows on my wrists
when I reach inside for a loaf of french bread.
my body keeps a tally of every meal.
lemon juice makes old wounds sing, brightening the broth
chicken soup drips from the corners of my children’s mouths.
a flurry of breadcrumbs scatter across the table
while they climb into my lap and lean against my soft
stomach creased by their exit wound.
every beautiful thing I have ever made has left a scar.
Copyright © Leanne Charette
Leanne Charette (she/her) has cerebral palsy and writes from her experience as a disabled adoptee and mother. Her work has been published by CV2, Eavesdrop Magazine, PRISM International, and more. She lives on the Haldimand Tract, within the territory of the Anishnaabe, Haudenosaunee and Chonnonton peoples, in so-called Kitchener, Ontario with her husband and twin sons.
Subscribe to Poetry Pause, or support Poetry Pause with a donation today!