My elbow hurts

Another pain on that

Dull aching highway

Twisting on my creaky joints

Just out of the corner of my eye

I see a girl, age 4 or 5

Striped shirt

Hair in four pigtails

Astride a bear statue

She is at the zoo or

Maybe a long forgotten park

Daddy, now gone, could be out of the frame

Mom maybe standing behind the camera

She’s small for her age

With skinny arms and legs

And a smile too sad her age

Looking just off to her side

Maybe she’s looking at me