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.