Head to Toe, 47

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Foot (a): calcaneus bone

Calcanenus—the bone that’s known

By other names—like “heel.”

You dig it in—and it’s a name

That really makes you feel

As if you’ve been a total jerk—

Have acted stupidly.

I’m really glad that name has not

Been hurled, you know, at me!

Head to Toe, 46

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Leg (d): fibula

The fibula? Sounds like a bone

That tells so many lies

That namers gave its name a twist—

They are such clever guys.

It is the smaller of the two

Residing where it does.

And if someone should kick you there,

You get a burning buzz!

Head to Toe, 45

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Leg (c): tibia

The tibia—your lower leg

(Well, half of it, you know)—

Is called the “shin” and tends to glow

When it gets bruised—and how you beg

To have that pain just flow away.

Though it can take a time so long

That you could write a tribute song

To your poor shin—day after day!

Head to Toe, 44

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Leg (b): patella

The patella—or the kneecap, as

We call it frequently—

Just caps the knee (!) and takes the jolts

When you fall forwardly.

It takes the bump—and often yells

(Though we can’t hear, of course).

Then heals, then waits to fall again

And call out something coarse.

Head to Toe, 43

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Leg (a): femur

Of all your bones the longest is

The femur, in your upper leg.

It also is the strongest—Quiz:

Which bone is longest, strongest, Greg?

You did not pay attention! My!

What a surprise our Greg has sprung!

Well, after school (Now stop that sigh!)

You’ll wish that you had curbed your tongue!

From Head to Toe, 42

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hip (c): pubis

The pubis bone is in the front—

And it is near … well, you know where.

(I won’t explain—and you won’t care,

For you don’t really have to hunt

To find it.) Still—a crucial bone

Requiring caution and some hope

That you won’t break it (while on dope?)—

For other bones can’t work alone!

From Head to Toe, 41

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hip (b): ischium

The ischium’s the lowest part—

And back part of the hip.

It is a part that you could strike

If you were, oh, to slip!

Or if some creepy guy (like me)

Would trip you—just for fun.

I fear that is the kind of thing

That—long ago!—I’ve done!

From Head to Toe, 40

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hip (a): ilium

The ilium—part of the hip—

Is largest of the three

That form the hips supporting you—

And, sure, supporting me.

It has an odd name, doesn’t it?

That mythic town of Troy*

Where battles raged I read about

When I was but a boy.

*I know--that was Illium. Just go with it, okay?

From Head to Toe, 39

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (h): hemate

The hemate bone’s the last that we

Will visit in our look-and-see—

Our journey through the human hand:

It’s time we find another land!

With five small bones it joins right there—

Same side as Pinky (did you care?)—

And works to give a supple wrist

To those who’d give their hand a twist.

From Head to Toe, 38

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (g): capitate

The center of the wrist—that’s where

The capitate still now resides.

Of course, we each have got a pair—

Yes, left and right—no switching sides!

It is the largest in the hand—

And works to stabilize the rest.

We hope that they do not disband

Oh, that would be a stressful test!

From Head to Toe, 37

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (f): trapezoid bone

I’ve read this bone’s the smallest in

Our wrists. But it still has a task—

So much of such a thing we ask!—

And it must somehow know just when

That it should function—small and wise!

We rarely ever think of it—

Until the trapezoid is hit—

And then those droplets fill our eyes!

From Head to Toe, 36

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (e): trapezium bone

We’re slowly moving up the hand—

Trapezium is next.

It does not fly (as in that song*)—

But is a bit complex.

It meshes with the other bones—

Enabling hands to grasp—

Makes possible in weddings for

The bride and groom to clasp

Their hands in love ...

* “The Man on the Flying Trapeze”--link to song performed by Burl Ives

From Head to Toe, 35

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (d): pisiform bone

Another bone you mustn’t break—

The pisiform. Oh, some mistake

If you proceed with that hurt hand—

For things won’t go as you have planned.

Instead, a dreadful cry of pain—

And you’ll not try that move again!

(And those of you with dirty minds?

It rhymes with skies, so truth reminds!)

From Head to Toe, 34

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (c): triquetral bone

Triquetral bone? I have not heard

Of that one in the wrist—

Perhaps it’s one we studied when

A class or two I’d missed?

Yes, high school health—that’s when we learned

The bones we each contain.

And that is when I learned, I think,

I’d rather read Mark Twain!

From Head to Toe, 33

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (b): lunate bone

I’m guessing now—I’ve not yet looked—

That lunate’s like the moon?

I see that luna root and think,

I gotta check—and soon.

And now I’ve checked—and I am right!—

A crescent-shape, this bone.

It’s small—it’s present in the wrist—

And does not work alone.

From Head to Toe, 32

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Hand (a): scaphoid bone

The scaphoid bone—part of the wrist—

A part that really would be missed

If you would like to make a fist

But didn’t have this precious bone—

Your punches then could not be thrown—

You’d just receive them: moan, moan, moan!

From Head to Toe, 31

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Arm (f): radius

The radius is shorter than

The ulna (as we all have seen).

But it is thicker—that’s the plan

To compensate. Yes, bones can preen—

Can think that they’re superior

To ones nearby—can’t have that stuff,

For bones can’t feel inferior.

For that would be a little rough

On others, see?

From Head to Toe, 30

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Arm (e): ulna

The ulna is the longer one

In forearms of us all.

(And if you stood them up, of course,

The ulna would be tall.)

Its purpose is to stabilize—

Adaptability.

That smaller one is sad, I bet,

Says: “Why can’t that be me?”

From Head to Toe, 29

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Arm (d): clavicle

Your collar bone—so apt a name:
It’s by your collar (much the same).

Your clavicle—the science term

For this fine bone—so shapely, firm.

It’s also near the surface, so

It breaks too much (so sad, I know).

But all things heal—sure, some just don’t—

Mortality is one that won’t.

From Head to Toe, 28

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Arm (c) scapula

Our scapula—and we have two—

We often call “the shoulder blade.”

We hope that ours are so well made

That they perform as they should do.

Each bone connects the humerus

To what we call the collar bone—

The clavicle can’t work alone—

Oh, no, it’s not superfluous!

From Head to Toe, 27

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Arm (b): pectoral girdle

The pectoral girdle—shoulder bones

(For those now keeping track).

They keep your arms connected to

Your front—and also back.

Comprising some few other bones,

This girdle has a task—

But keep on reading,* and soon you’ll not

Have questions you must ask!

*this series about bones, that is

From Head to Toe, 26

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Arm (a): humerus

That upper bone in either arm

Is called the humerus.

No, it is not your funny bone—

We need it—all of us.

It leads down to the elbow, where

It joins some other bones.

So treat it kindly: If you do,

You’ll win the Game of Thrones.

(Actually, not—it’s just a nice rhyme!)

From Head to Toe, 25

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Chest (c): ribs

Each human has twelve pairs of these—

The total’s twenty-four.

(I say this just in case you need

To check your math skills more.)

Yes, ribs are so essential for

Stability, you see?

And they protect some organs, too—

This means a lot to me!

But when you bruise or break one, there

Is not a lot to do.

Just suffer-wait-and-suffer-wait
Till it’s again like new.

From Head to Toe, 24

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Chest (b): sternum

Your sternum is your “breast bone,” and
Your ribs it anchors well.

It holds them all together, so

Your heart’s inside a cell.

There aren’t a lot of things that hurt

Much more than breaking one.

For months, while healing, you do not

Have any sort of fun.

From Head to Toe, 23

Head to Toe:

Boning Up on the Bones of the Body

Chest (a): hyoid bone

A horseshoe shape this bone can boast—

This hyoid bone beneath you tongue.

Because of it you eat some roast—

Oh, such a bone—so long unsung!

But there it is, in all of us,

Beneath our notice—we don’t care:

As long as it makes little fuss,

We laugh and eat—well, anywhere!