Spitting Teeth

I got lopped in the face and
All I got was this mouthful of blood
Holding my head up high
With my shoes in the mud

Crusty-eyed, like I just rose from a long sleep
Wiping them clean with an old rag
I can see now, but then my ears start to ring
Hoisting myself up, an old and tattered flag

Cracking my neck, my ears clear again
The noise is like a bell calling me home
I take a step and my knees buckle
Take it as it comes like a young Ethan Frome

Standing up straight, my senses intact
For a moment, I ponder the crystal lake before me
Then I strip and I dive and I smile today
For once I was blind, but now I see clearly