Ugh

Last summer I wrote a poem, "Incontinence as Metaphor." Yesterday, I experienced incontinence as a bladder reality, and it was not pleasant.

The incontinant feels a warm loosening at the opening of the urethra to signal his lack of control. With repetition, this feeling is joined by a spreading wetness and warmth within the disposable diaper. Walking becomes difficult as one imagines oneself a large baby with one of those leaden loads, emitting that cloyingly sweet acidic smell familiar to all parents.

In the incontinant, this does encourage empathy for babies and new parents, but on a more immediate physical plane, it also results in great discomfort, especially when one is five cock-clutching blocks from home.