Straight Arm

The IV is dripping
I can see each drop
but no soundtrack
I don’t last long
counting them
Keep your arm straight
or the fluid will cease
an alarm will go off
like a truck backing up
from here to Siberia
if the nurses and aides
are busy elsewhere
It’s freezing in here
Gridiron receivers
use the stiff wing
against defenders
Hell I raise my arm
a few times
as if curling a barbell
as if drunk
and challenging
the world to
arm wrestle, to try
to slam and crack
my knuckles
Help finally arrives
gently pushing flat
my illegal limb
she just says tsk tsk
Button pressed to
revive the stream
and mute the dumper
I check my blood
pressure on the monitor
121/86, a hoop score