iced knees

you nurse the knee
with ice.
ice is your friend.
this cold bag
of peas,
or gel, or plastic
wrap of cubes.
you can't get
the knee cold enough,
but soon
it's numb, and you
can almost walk
without a limp.
you swallow two pills
to help it along.
it's not exactly hell
getting old,
but maybe a few level
up.