And like a willow
Or a river birch
I found my self
Rooted and simply standing
Often and at times
Victim of the wind
Which wound and weaved
Through the years limbs
And every so often
Men would stumble upon
Me in search of the
The river in which
They swam I drank
Throwing off their clothes
And splashing and diving
In and beneath me
The river their baptism
And me their comfort
When young I believed
That I was chalk
Creating and discovering newness
At middle age I
Learned that I was
Erasers wiping away unnecessary
Ideas making room for
More upon retiring I
Discovered that I was
The blackboard upon which
Ideas dreams were written
And finally now I
Understand that I am
Just a classroom in
Which the lessons of
Life have been learned
I enjoy skating though
I prefer ice over
Rolling I think that
It’s the winter padding
Because I confidently know
That down I will
Go and up I
Will try but more
Down I will go
Dating is like that
Success only ever happens
When either someone helps
You up or you
Simply crawl to the
Side laughing and admitting
This isn’t for me
You know that moment
When you just know
That gurgle those butterflies
You know but don’t
And you hesitate right
Before what is it
That makes you go
A kiss is nothing
More than monkey bars
At once on top
With no down below
Beneath just you and
There and then then
And like returning to
The highland getaway cabin
After a particularly devastating
Winter I stare upon
The blank page upon
Where I would go
To hide from coldness
Arms where I found
Comfort lips where I
Sought refuge laughter which
Blocked out the blinding
Heated light of despair
Only to find them
All gone these revelers
Once the wine and
Warmth turned to ash
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 