Monday, March 23, 2009

keep moving

moving slowly, making plans
the slate is clean
haven’t had a slate for years
that’s how to keep one clean
easier than the car with city parking
scratches, road dust
kids doing whatever they do
running in like dog packs in the night
slate is the flat rock that breaks off
and falls in the river we used to swim
strewn with plastic bag pieces now

working out details when we get to 'em
for what comes next
be prepared like the boy scouts used to
don’t know what they do now
maybe they lost money to operate too
we never had money and we did okay
volunteers and mom and dad helping
and I roll tumbled ahead into whatever
not knowing and nothing to compare it to
just going ahead, sometimes with the crowd
sometimes with my own stupid ideas
at least working came easy
even getting up early in the morning
cause it seemed the right thing to do
and I had learned how to do that
my family taught me well
it was work and sleep and eat
and right straight ahead
and still is
time's no limit
it’s all we have
best use it well

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I love this poem. I haven't had much of a slate lately, so I can relate to that. Excellent playfulness with language.

These wonderful lines just leaped off the page:

"slate is the flat rock that breaks off
and falls in the river we used to swim
strewn with plastic bag pieces now"

I also love how the poem builds momentum in the second half, and the words keep me moving along. Beautiful work.