Without kick or crawl (for Emily)

I forgot
that
without kick or crawl
roll
or holding
onto the coffee table
or the couch
or those first tentative steps
we'd never save time
or get where we want
to go

walking is all
about pushing limits
feeling oats
close races
tight finishes
narrow escapes

we were born
to run
that race
even as we limp
towards perfection

we see
without care
for shutter speed
f-stop
aperture
aspect ratio
or available light

I remember the first time
you stood
standing under the kitchen table
I wondered
whether the table was holding you
up
some sort of overreaching puppeteer
but it was you
doing it yourself
and then I knew
as you took your first steps
you were off
and away
and I knew
that part
of my job was done
and the next milestone came
into view
how
to keep you safe
when you were more comfortable straying
than staying near.

Comments

Of course she's not a true red

As the parent of a "ginger", and having red heads on both sides of the family, and having married into two Irish families, I know first hand that ginger covers the whole spectrum from strawberry blonde (to my way of thinking a classic ginger!), to orange (carrot tops), to a real rust red (what my father in law would call a true red). When Pat Todkill first set eyes on his granddaughter, he remarked, "Of course, she's not a true red". For one thing, Emily the Elder lacked freckles on her face and upper body. For another, she really was and is a strawberry blonde. A further observation. Even people with the raven blackest hair have rust red lights--caveman red, soot covered ochre if you like. Woolly mammoth red. Sometimes it takes just the right light to pick out the smoldering ember, but beard and eyebrows tend to incorporate the tell tale ginger strain, like chili pepper in a spice jar of mixed pepper corns. And, of course, brunette...

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I double dog dare ya

I double dog dare ya to repeat the story you heard in 3 Trees the shop of Indian incense and beeswax crayons from Germany perhaps a source for Waldorf or Montessori Nepali filigree or Balinese woven silver and semi-precious gems cut loose dresses and butterfly pants from Indonesia or somewhere similarly hot and breezy and yoga cushions maybe made locally and unmentionable remarks harder to tell than listen to I think it was a tall woman of subcontinent ancestry who was trying on bras and dresses and saying she was generally pleased at the selection and the clerk who replied yeah who knew Asian women have boobs and height and take up space and commisserated with her customer who mentioned she didn't think men looked for a mirror to see how their bum looks before deciding and buying down the risk she knowingly showed to me I was there for the sale half price and no tax the gift they give 3 times a year to generate so...

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