My Nose

June 1 My Nose

I’ve grown attached to my nose
over the years. It’s always there
to greet me in the morning when
I take that first look into the
bathroom mirror through
my saggy, baggy, early
morning eyes.
It’s not a great nose
like Jimmy Durante’s,
or Barbra Streisand’s,
or Karl Malden's,
but it is a good nose,
an average nose,
and serves its purpose of
having a place for nostrils
that won't get rained in.
It usually works pretty well for breathing,
smelling, and picking,
but not always. Certain allergens
render it quite useless.
I go see a dermatologist later today
about a pesky sore that won’t heal
right on the top of said nose.
I’m thinking they’ll likely
excavate some of that spot
as though digging a foundation
for a new home
that won't be built. Friends
used the words “cauterize,” “scrape,”
“excise,” “freeze,” and “slice”
when describing various treatments.
None of those appeal to me
all that much.
I am a bit anxious as I
contemplate this visit and
wonder just what my new profile
will be and what nose will greet me
in my bathroom mirror
through those saggy, baggy,
early morning eyes.