Poem: Bone Lessons

Bone Lessons

We learned of ancient kindness
from the remains of broken bones,
of disease, from all that was frail
about the neanderthals we found,
skeletons missing limbs, arthritic
joints clear even after so many
centuries, signs of injuries
that should have been fatal
in that harsh world, the one
that came before our ascent,
the world of cavemen,
of hunting giant beasts,
hiding, shelter, chance
against cruelty.  But
the bones had healed.
injuries were old, even
the ones who must have been
blind did not die
of it, not for years.  We see it,
the growing of bones
beyond sickness, signals
that those who no longer
were able to move fast
or be part of the hunt
were not immediately left
behind, but cared for,
fed, their toothless mouths
offered the softest, kindest
of sustenance.  They healed,
others kept them alive
so that they could heal,
cared for them, cared
for the old to keep them
from leaving as soon
as the world was urging/