The Loose Spoke

He was only
A single spoke,
One among many
In the wheel.
He didn’t think
He made
Much difference
And he was getting
Tired of carrying
His load,
So he decided
To relax
And loosen up a bit.
The load
He was carrying
Was shifted
To the other spokes
Of the wheel
Subtly changing
The balance
So the wheel
No longer
Rolled true.
What the loose spoke
Couldn’t see
Or didn’t understand
Was the part
He played
In the integrity
Of the wheel.