Rob Targos (c) 1998

It doesn’t matter where I had to start,

Because I knew the level of determination, that existed in my own heart.

Soon after I spread my legs apart,

I needed to believe in myself, and then depart.

Once my mind heard the hunting bell,

I knew I had to endure this treacherous hell.

It may look like a path of harmless travel,

But it is still littered with dangerous gravel.

The size didn’t matter since every pebble,

Quickly blew up into a mountain of trouble.

Even though the stone pieces were relatively small,

they didn’t feel that way during my weight-bearing fall.

It cause my body to be painfully alert,

Through my wounding trip, down into the dirt.

At first, I was scared to refill the trust,

But that was the only way I was going to finally abandon the dust.

Then I decided to get off the ground,

and fight against it, for another round.

That’s when I discovered the power of my inner force.

And I wanted to conquer this adverse obstacle course.

With the eye of the Tiger, I went on an attack,

To inscribe my initials and scratch mother nature back.

During this unsteady fight,

I gained some valuable insight.

Sometimes to claim victory you need to begin.

There is no other alternative way to win.

When faced with a problem, you need to dig in.

And let your heart expose your thickening skin.

by Rob Targos (c) 1999

I am filled with the excited anticipation of becoming stronger.
Visions started in my head, because I couldn’t wait any longer.
Finally, I took the opportunity to get out of the wheelchair seat.
I was anxious to show off my energetic feet.

But I could not stand because my legs were so weak.
Months melted my once healthy physique.
Soon my bones began to crumble.
Supported only by shrunk muscles.

The steps I did courageously take,
Did throw my body into a shivering shake.
My foot’s impact hit me like a wrecking ball,
Until I was reduced to another debilitating crawl.

My ego crashed next to my fragile frame,
Left with nothing but atrophy to blame.
After some verbal disgust, a realization suddenly came.
My body is the structure that I must reclaim.

I must construct plans like a careful architect.
And remember to raise myself first, for some respect.
It doesn’t matter how many times I hit the floor,
As long as I am committed to be more powerful than I was before.

With a prolonged program of exercise,
the strength in my legs eventually multiplies.
I feel my muscles gradually rebuild,
As my lower limbs become increasingly skilled.

After I reach every new level,
I feel like such an accomplished rebel.
Blocks build each new story of concrete.
And I feel the need to surpass another challenging feat.

I fell part after my plastering of an operation,
But I used an internal personal determination.
To again establish a solid foundation.
Time and effort are mixed together for a successful rehabilitation.

Rob Targos (c) 1998

The church is where they started to preach.
With divine words littered throughout their mighty speech.
But for me, the message is out of reach.
Therefore, I automatically question the way they teach.

Slowly I become very suspicious.
Because I wonder if their motives are really religious.
I suddenly get very scared.
When they say my affliction must be eternally beared.

Born with my bad luck,
This is the way I have been stuck.
On my shoulders, comes down the weight
Burdened with the inability to relate.

I am at a loss to explain the inadequacy I feel
After the request comes for me to heal.
And my embarrassment I can no longer conceal.
Because I know I can never satisfy their ideal.

Since my situation cannot be reversed
I can never escape the church’s holy curse.
How can it condemn
Since God made it happen?

Nonetheless, they still forsake
Because of the judgments they incorrectly make.
It doesn’t matter how much I walk.
Because I know people still watch me like a hawk.

The only thing I can do is pray
For them to eventually look away.
Suddenly I sense their potential to betray.
I just wish they would finally let me go my own way

I could experience such a relief
if they would erase this basic healing belief.
Because it is up to the priest
Until he does it, I cannot be released.

by Rob Targos (c) 1999

It doesn’t matter what I decide to wear.
They look away from my body or worse, they just stare.
Even if I picked plain clothes,
people still set their focus on my awkward pose.

My crutches have nothing to do with how I dress.
Brand-name doesn’t matter, that would be my Guess.
My walk may be seen as comical,
That’s how I draw attention like a different sort of runway model.

I try not to dress loud,
but the sounds of my disability crutch clicks notifies a crowd.
Feeling nervous, I make an effort to walk proud.
But I am followed by a nagging black cloud.

I will finally make good use of my uniform.
But it was little protection as I weather the gathering storm.
I didn’t have an inconspicuous hood.
Against ill-fashioned faces, alone I stood.

I searched frantically for a space,
Among the group where it had a safe place.
There was no room, so I started a close race.
I desperately wanted to keep ahead of the pace.

Despite being in great fitness shape,
there were flaws in my hurried plan of escape.
How can I fit in and stand out?
Please address this issue and tell me what you figure out.

(c) Rob Targos 12/11/21

You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch
Your objective is to strangle Christmas with a tight-attitude-strapped cinch.
Your words are sour like Kraut
Your mischievous spider-brain plots to steal the Whoville holiday spirit, so they go without.

You are a grizzly green Grinch
Hoping to make innocent residents flinch.
You use an outfit Santa would wear
To launch a sled in a doggedly, dastardly dare.

With your teddy bear fuzzy features
You wanted to remove goodwill, like a holiday cheer bleacher.
You wanted to suppress joys.
You wanted to silence energetic toys.
And dampen delightful seasonal noise.
Burning in a fireplace of anger that crackling destroys.

Through the WHO houses he stripped all the Christmas flourishing fluff,
The Grinch’s personality was so jaded, that it was sandpaper tough.
And he took what became some black-sooted stuff.
But the community already appreciated that they had enough.

The Grinch left behind what he thought was a bell-ringing body blow.
He cynically waited for the town’s despair to simply overflow.
To his surprise, people valued the presence of others, more than just plain monetary dough.
The Grinch had become an infuriated green gringo.

The chill of his actions left him alone to isolate.
The battle within his body finally set him straight.
The pain he felt caused him to change course.
Fueled by the flip of unexpected emotional remorse,
the Grinch reversed himself and tapped into his scarce strength resource.

With his pear-shaped green fur,
He took back the presents and embraced what the people had to offer.
The Grinch turned an important corner,
When he realized he was no longer a monster.

The Grinch’s food feast churned
And his heart positively burned.
Around people he eventually learned.
Discovering what his spirit ultimately yearned.