I stand beneath
the cables that fasten
me to this dust moving in eddies
spread my tired arms to touch
willing my fingers, arches and whori,
my white flecked nails to grasp the infinity
of a memory of a moment
when I wound the handle of tin box
to a tune that played like
baseball cards within the spokes
of my intrepid Schwinn cruiser
frightened when it would stop
when out would Jack fly
and to the sky I would jump
as if time could never reach
would never come
when I could launch that bike
over a weedy ditch
immortal as I tumbled across rocks
when eternity was a birthday
waited — a summer that could not end.
I stand on top
beneath the cables that hasten
pull me towards the clouds
water wrapped around some dust
feeling wind that is but vectored air
knowing — oh so caught in knowing —
I feel so much less without first knowing
caring is a want
stretching, yearning not, fearing
reaching away from the years
pressing my cleated heals upon
polished marble wet with rain
and I move — oh do I move —
making scratches over days
a calendar now marking years.
I stand in the middle
beneath cables yearning for a place in
this moment today
celebrating memories
knowing each is a legacy lived
springboards into black waters
preparing me to enjoy
a muscled body through the air
just be — just stand — just see
oh the justice in not giving up
having loved and been tossed
getting up and learning to fall
is the only way to walk
to cook, to taste, to close another’s book
to trust, to rust, to stand in the rain
to train, to stain, to bend against the strain
to be
to see
to look left and right
to stand in the middle
and smile.

∞

Poem drafted and submitted as part of my participation of “National Poetry Writing Month – 2017” (#NaPoWriMo2017).  Today’s poetry prompt: Because we’re halfway through NaPoWriMo/GloPoWriMo today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem that reflects on the nature of being in the middle of something. .

All text and photography © Dale Schierbeck

…. more of my original Poetry on EatsWritesShoots here.