it is an accepted truth of passing science
that shorter people live longer
i always rationalized
that there is more likely to go wrong
amidst miles of spine, veins, and limbs
but that’s not the reason
it’s mind over matter
discovering this because of my own
diminutive stature
it is impossible to feel old
when your swaying feet
don’t find the floor
beneath the bar stool
enduring a lifetime of
phone book thrones
when one is perpetually
reaching for things
with the assistance
of a nearby chair