Saturday, September 1, 2012


Mina Kirby
 
Learning

I am learning to walk
I did this once before
when I was much smaller
closer to the ground

One step
Fall down
Another one or two
Fall again

Always get back up
Try again
I should be able to do this again
But it is harder now

I think of taking a step
My feet feel
like magnets
hold them to the floor

With great effort I pick up my foot
The other leg
trembles in fear
Falling is no longer an option

One step
Two
My stomach flutters
from weakness

Lying back in my bed
as I have done for months
I close my eyes
and visualize myself walking

six steps… ten
all the way across the room
down to the end of my street
around the county fair

Do I dare dream
of climbing steps?
of scrambling up a mountain path
to marvel at the splendor below?

Tears gather beneath my eyelids
hot and liquid
They will spill over
if I open my eyes

I try to be brave
convince myself it is possible
I have to walk again
I am so afraid

1 comment:

  1. This poem is an amazing portral of a deep-seated hearts desire of something that too many of us take for granted

    "With great effort I pick up my foot
    The other leg
    trembles in fear"

    This shows us we should continue to dream, even of things that come so effortlessly to others

    "I close my eyes
    and visualize myself walking"

    Something to look forward to, no matter how small.
    "around the county fair"

    "Do I dare dream
    of climbing steps?
    of scrambling up a mountain path
    to marvel at the splendor below?"

    Yes, dream, always dream, when you dream, you give us permission to dream also.

    You said this so well

    "I try to be brave
    convince myself it is possible
    I have to walk again
    I am so afraid"

    I think nearly all of us have the above feelings, if we will admit it, sure we substitute a variety of words for the word "walk" but we all have our hidden desires, that we are not sure will ever come to pass.

    I am 'standing' with you poet to poet as you "walk" out your journey of self-discovery, ripe with wisdom to pass on.

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