When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
my own mouth rounding
in surprise when you pulled
ahead down the curved
path of the park,
I kept waiting
for the thud
of your crash as I
sprinted to catch up,
while you grew
smaller, more breakable
with distance,
pumping, pumping
for your life, screaming
with laughter,
the hair flapping
behind you like a
handkerchief waving
goodbye.
(Linda Pastan)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, Hair Poems, Laughter PoemsBased on Keywords: handkerchief, thud, rounding, pumping, bicycle, loping, wobbled, sprinted, breakable