This way the twig is bent

-


Monday, August 5th-

Tonight

Son's first football practice with his team
We're excited
Nervous

Get there and realize
Friends are here
No 'home-sick' feeling
As you try to get routine, and introductions

I'm glad
I plan to use this practice time for miles

But tonight I'm slow to start 
It's worth the chatty visit and banter 
I'm a football mom now- 
And these moms are going to be fun

I finally head out for the trails

Beautiful night
Cool crisp New Mexico sky
Silhouetted trees at every turn

Breathtaking 

Phone rings,
It's my mom
Got to take it

She's happy
Needing tech advice

And as much as I want to be
I'm not her helpful call center service gal tonight
Can't help

It's ok
We chat a bit more

And as we do
My eyes are drawn to the branches
Each their own

I'm a walker now
Running takes a back seat

A poem learned when younger
Plays with my memory
Bits and pieces of it 
The feel of it
Comes to me

Only I'm older now,
And thinking of my own littles
Makes it poignant 

I want this for my children
I see it slowly happening
Only it seems too soon
Not sure I could be so graceful
As my mother 
Watching me become my own

I head home 
Look up the words


Here it is:

Offspring
By Naomi Long Madgett

"I tried to tell her: 
This way the twig is bent. 


Born of my trunk and strengthened by my roots, 
You must stretch newgrown branches 
Closer to the sun 
Than I can reach. 
I wanted to say: 
Extend my self to that far atmosphere 
Only my dreams allow.

But the twig broke, 
And yesterday I saw her 
Walking down an unfamiliar street, 
Feet confident, 
Face slanted upward toward a threatening sky, 

And 
She was smiling 
And she was 
Her very free, 
Her very individual, 
Unpliable 
Own."


Comments

Moose said…
Nice! Loved the poem... thanks!
August 6, 2013 at 5:23 AM
Heather said…
You're welcome
Enjoy the day!
August 6, 2013 at 5:31 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Running Berg- the magic of a memory

-
Image
Monday, October 21st I ran today-  Chose Berg Park I'd been seeing others' photos of the park  Pop up on Instagram,  Each shot  A familiar spot  Running memories Are you like that?  You'll be driving along Minding your own business And a running memory So powerful  Hits you  And you're back To that one Training run  It's like a homesick feeling Deep in your gut Only you're not sad You're j ust wishing  You were there a gain To live the moment over Berg Park pictures do that to me too So today I ran it No Garmin No Endomondo Just me  The trail And everyone else that felt  Drawn here today Walkers Runners Mommas with strollers  Puppies  Always magic here The running was easy I wondered why I'd waited so long To just be And Run for the thrill of it I miss the days when 7 miles seemed impossible And 5 made me feel like a rockstar When friends joined in on a weekend Group run And ended with coffee When I didn't know any be...
Read more

It's happening

-
Image
Its happening... you can feel it in the air  You can see it in the way the sun hits the grasses on the side of the road Hear it when you open your door and the kids are outside playing It's running weather... I know you feel it too.  That feeling that you get when you have to lace up and get out It's been a while though A long while...  Hesitation sets in, you second guess You tell yourself it's probably nothing Probably procrastination from some more pressing projects on your plate. But I can't shake it... So I ran.  and walked.  and ran some more... and took a few pics to commemorate the beginning of the season.  Running Season. 
Read more

13.1 Montage

-
Image
Saturday, October 1st, 2011 I ran my 13.1 The night before, the excitement was almost unbearable. Sick to my stomach excited. Pep talking my way through the course in my mind, I wandered through my day almost in a fog. But this morning, I was calm. No emotion. This has happened to me before, and last time flat scared me. It didn't scare me this time, though, just a feeling of nothingness. I ate granola, drank a small Gatorade, water. I stuffed my pockets with fruit snacks, baby juice box in my compression shirt. Two more juice boxes would be stashed along the first leg of my run to find at the end. warm up walk out the neighborhood- It is 5:35- It is dark. All week long I'd mulled over a route for this run. Then yesterday night I realized I wasn't planning for the dark... I was in denial. I even googled the sunrise, and found the sun wouldn't even begin to show it's face 'til after 6:30, with an official rise after 7. College and High s...
Read more