This actually happened exactly as written.
Yesterday, on my daily walk,
a boy of about four or five
looked up at me and said, “hey! old man!”
Of course it immediately brought
my blue-sky-wandering thoughts to the top
of his lightning-striped, helmeted head.
I kept going
rummaging through my repertoire
of appropriate replies for delicate ears,
and the best I could find—
after clipping off the gray-haired adjectives,
was, “hey! young boy!”
Feeling like I’d offered equal tit for tat
I started searching through the trees
for that patch of cloudless reverie I left parked
under the pale eye of a daytime moon.
My Nikes perked up their pace for several steps,
when, like an arrow shot dead center of my back,
I heard, “I’m not young, I can ride a bicycle!”
No need to stop, turn, and hip shoot a retort,
I knew he was right, I’ve been riding for years.
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21 comments:
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HA! Beautiful! From someone who got rid of her training wheels a loooong time ago. :-)
You amaze me how you can put your daily expreiences into such wonderful poetry!
I loved this one Pat!
Thanks for sharing it!
Wonderful reading too!
Pat, you've outdone yourself. This is terrific! This has to be a must-include in your forth-coming book.
I like it --- at least I hasn't been called "old man" yet. :)
great stuff pat
there's nothing worse than a smatass kid
(unless it's any other sort of kid) :)
once - when i was in my thirties - a kid who didn't like my driving called me a f****** geriatric
years later and whadaya know ......... :)
Good one Pat ... as long as you are wearing your nikes you stay young.
i liked it...
gotta love them youngins!!
donna
I really enjoyed this poem!
It's funny how he was just as shaken to be called "young"--
I remember when I couldn't wait to get old!
Now I'm sliding down the far side of that mountain, trying to slow down...
This poem seems to float on a sea of tranquility, despite the rather hostile exchange. I think this was remarkable. This is another must read. Have you got a book in the works?
A little story turned into a great poem that makes one laugh, what else would a reader want!:) LOve it!:
evocative piece, pat. enjoyed it.
i have been called many other names, but not yet "old man", but that won't be long before it happens :)
Thanks Janice!!
mmm, my older brothers thought it was fun to watch me learn without training wheels. Thank you!!
Margie, a very high compliment coming from one who does the same!!
Andrew, hang around long enough!!
Vaughn, with self-publishing no excuse, except I'm hard headed. Thank you!!
Floots, we're aging so gracefully. My exact thoughts initially, but after thinking about it for 24 hours I think he just addressed me exactly as his eyes saw me. And, he wanted me to know he could ride his bike.
Trinitystar, the youth of Nikes!!
Donna, yes you do. Thanks for coming by.
Vivian, it's all in perpective isn't it. Thanks!!
Russell, I wasn't too tranquill initially, but I did calm down. Thank you!!
Borut, it was funny after I thought about it. Thank you!!
this is a great one. I just turned 50 in January. two weeks later I herniated a lumbar disc.
I had better get my sneakers on and get a good waling schedule going myself.
wonderful, you captured the moment
ah, old man, indeed......all a matter of perpective isn't it, i remember being called an old lady when I was 28. Until that moment I felt pretty darn young, of course that retort was muttered by a group of sixteen year old "youngsters." Ah to be so
OLD again, say 30. haha
This is neat:-)
We start getting 'old' to that set when we hit high school.
It's helpful to be reminded of different perspectives now and then, and this piece surely does.
ah, the generation gap!
at least you go a great poem out of it.
So funny!!! :) Great story!
Oh!...loved this Pat...had a similar experience at 16 when I was asked if my "sister" was joining a group discussion...my mother danced and grinned the rest of the afternoon!
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