Wednesday 22 November 2017

Reasons Why The Word Crawl Has Awe In It

by Regina O'Melveny

  
At first it seems
a small move from
all fours rocking back and forth
to left arm forward
right knee
then right arm forward
left knee.

Then I see how all
at once the world careens
open, as hands and knees
on this rare earth,
you lurch forward
risk everything
for the unknown
that offers itself to your
exuberance.

But what really holds me
in awe is your buoyancy
even after you face-plant
or belly-flop.
You wail, but you’re up
and at it again
soon after. Go, go, go!

I even drop down
to play with you
and find that leading with
hands on earth
rather than walking feet first,
propels me toward
amazement.
I begin to understand
why kneeling and prostration
enliven prayer.

Left arm forward
right knee
then right arm forward
left knee.
Palms pressed down
again and again


to all that is sacred
beneath us.


No comments:

Post a Comment