Poem: The Art of Helping, by Mark Tulin

The Art of Helping
By Mark Tulin

Without ego,
I push her wheelchair 
to the dollar store,
navigating the bumps in the road, 
helping her shop
for necessities.
I change her dressing 
that hides an open sore,
careful the alcohol
doesn't burn.
I cook her meals
from a recipe book,
low in fat and salt. 
My hands blend in love
with a woman whose joy
is also my healthy fare.
Helping, I do with great desire,
to embrace a neglected soul
whose smile opens wide
despite the pain in her jaw,
often too difficult to bear.
She recites a dozen hail Marys
before she retires,
after reading her favorite story
about a blind woman
who miraculously sees,
and before she settles into sleep,
making sure I prop her head,
covering her feet and arms 
so she doesn't catch a chill.
I turn off the lights each night
in recognition of this honor,
to aid a disabled woman 
with a benevolent attitude
is my reward, not a burden.