Tuesday, January 13, 2009
With small hands
New, trusting, innocent hands
He holds on.
He wraps his tiny fingers around a larger one.
Firm and sturdy.
Patient and faithful.
His eyes do not waver
Fixed on a face that is brighter.
Bringing his foot a few inches forward
He is powerless without the strong hands
That are gently pulling him closer.
Unsteady steps.
One foot falling in front of the next
As if he was born for it.
He is gliding.
Then, a crooked step, he drops to the floor.
He is pulled up with a shriek of delight
“You’ve done it!”
You’ve done it.
***
With empty hands now
Steps are not as smooth.
Teetering and tumbling –
This is frequent but forgiven.
Although sturdy fingers must
Let go
They never simply
Go.
The bright face is watching.
And rejoicing.
Four steps before falling.
Now five
And then Seven.
Each step strengthens the next.
This
Is confidence.
This
Is endurance.
This
Is growth.
***
With dirty hands now
Holding sticks that are transformed into swords
And rubber spiders and real snakes.
And now, holding a leg that has broken
Rocking back and forth
Letting tears remain on his cheeks
Until someone with a brighter face wipes them clean.
A long fall.
A messy landing.
He will not walk for some time.
No steps.
He must heal.
***
With sturdy hands now.
Wise and patient.
Trusted by a pair of tiny, innocent hands
That hold on.
He presses his fingertips against
The warm blacktop.
Eyes close for a moment
And he breathes deeply
Before launching himself from the starting blocks.
His legs have grown healthy and strong –
Rarely stumbling
Rarely mis-stepping
And when they do,
The next step follows so quickly,
Crookedness is unnoticeable
Insignificant
Forgotten
His heart beats stronger with every stride.
His lungs fill and empty.
The rhythm of his footsteps.
There is one with a bright face
Standing along the fence.
Whose heart is pumping
Whose breath is racing
Whose muscles are tightening.
He is running!
He is running.
Smooth and powerful
Forward forever.
And hurtling through the tape to victory
He hears a bright voice -
“You’ve done it!”
You’ve done it.
