The theme for tonight at SPEAK is “falls”. Not fall — falls.
The first time I recall
falling was when I very young and
my father fell down the stairs
with me in his arms. I was so young
I do not recall the hurt or the fall
or any fear.
I have always since then
feared a sudden loss of solid ground
below my feet, a drop into air
and a stop at the end.
I wish I could tell you I grew up wanting to fly.
I wanted to burrow underground instead.
I wanted to swim and nearly drown and skid into walls
and I did all those things one by one;
but when I consider all the times I should have fallen
from walls or bridges or face to face meetings
with beautiful strangers in high places, I find the scars
from the lesser dangers ache
a little differently, more urgently; my ears bend back as if
the wind was taking them anyway,
and I wish I had risen, no matter the cost;
I wish I had fallen
for real,
even just once.
Dark Matter 
October 14th, 2004 at 7:28 am
Oh, wow, this is perfect. I used to love horseback riding until I fell and partially separated my shoulder, and I’ve been hesitant ever since. This poem made we want to race out to the barn, jump on my horse bareback, and go for a wild gallop, fear be damned. Thank you.
October 14th, 2004 at 7:28 am
Oh, wow, this is perfect. I used to love horseback riding until I fell and partially separated my shoulder, and I’ve been hesitant ever since. This poem made we want to race out to the barn, jump on my horse bareback, and go for a wild gallop, fear be damned. Thank you.
October 14th, 2004 at 7:28 am
Oh, wow, this is perfect. I used to love horseback riding until I fell and partially separated my shoulder, and I’ve been hesitant ever since. This poem made we want to race out to the barn, jump on my horse bareback, and go for a wild gallop, fear be damned. Thank you.
October 14th, 2004 at 7:28 am
Oh, wow, this is perfect. I used to love horseback riding until I fell and partially separated my shoulder, and I’ve been hesitant ever since. This poem made we want to race out to the barn, jump on my horse bareback, and go for a wild gallop, fear be damned. Thank you.
October 14th, 2004 at 7:28 am
Oh, wow, this is perfect. I used to love horseback riding until I fell and partially separated my shoulder, and I’ve been hesitant ever since. This poem made we want to race out to the barn, jump on my horse bareback, and go for a wild gallop, fear be damned. Thank you.
October 14th, 2004 at 7:28 am
Oh, wow, this is perfect. I used to love horseback riding until I fell and partially separated my shoulder, and I’ve been hesitant ever since. This poem made we want to race out to the barn, jump on my horse bareback, and go for a wild gallop, fear be damned. Thank you.
October 14th, 2004 at 7:28 am
Oh, wow, this is perfect. I used to love horseback riding until I fell and partially separated my shoulder, and I’ve been hesitant ever since. This poem made we want to race out to the barn, jump on my horse bareback, and go for a wild gallop, fear be damned. Thank you.