SCARS

SCARS
By John Ross Harvey

To many people Scars give character
But it really depends on the location
Most people don’t stare at your leg inseam
Or your heel
Which is where my large ones are
The heel was from a windshield wiper blade
As my brother thought it was ok for me to slide
The leg was from a log in a garden
As I had a paper route in my youth
I tended to short-cut lawns to deliver papers
And I gashed the inside of my leg
And played soccer about an hour later
The scar was so huge, some kids thought
My leg was reattached from an accident
I have another minor scar on my left middle finger
It reminds me of my first day at my current job
June 12 1997, the printer jammed
I reached in to fix the jam, and ripped my top knuckle
I still have the triangle to remind me
The next finger over has a round scar on the fingertip
Exacto blade in Architectural model class
Architecture were regulars in the nursing station
They saw my blood and said
“Architecture model class?”
My kids have scars too
My son cut his chin when he fell with a baby bottle years ago
My daughter crawled into my old computer desk
And has a mark on her forehead
Without scars, life would need better reminders.