Can you throw yourself
in, again
and again?
Can you rip wide the wrapper
safety-sealed
for someone’s protection
and let spring forth
what will?
Butterflies, maybe
or dirt
or blood
or a full-court dance-press crew
of pirate gremlins
playing mad fiddle music
and tapping out code
with their crazy, nonsensical, wooden-shoe
dance?
I was so afraid
for so long
of opening up
for I had no idea
what would spill forth.
Wisdom, I hoped.
Lunacy, I suspected.
Venom, surely, from the hordes
of slathering
hostile
standers-by
I was sure.
In case you hadn’t noticed
I am still here
with most of my parts
and some of my dignity
and so, for that matter,
are you.
I was so afraid
of the meter
that I clung
to the prose.
Yet here we are,
together,
basking in something—
not quite normal
not entirely strange
and maybe just a little bit
marvelous.
Jump
jump
jump with me
We will catch our own breaths
with the thrill
of it all
or we will fall
with a thud
to the hard, hard ground.
I have news for you:
it was there anyway.
Leap
leap
again
and again.
No choice
but to leap
again
and again…
xxx
c
Image by DragonDrop via Flickr, used under a Creative Commons license.
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{ 11 comments }
Such a great one. This part REALLY spoke to me:
I was so afraid
for so long
of opening up
for I had no idea
what would spill forth.
Wisdom, I hoped.
Lunacy, I suspected.
I adore this. Just love it.
Thank you!
Lindsey
http://www.adesignsovast.com
This poem is beautiful and motivating. I am looking for the courage to jump, to leap, despite the “hard, hard ground” that is always there. The children in the picture you used are so fearless, so willing to accept failures as part of their learning process, as part of their lives. I need to return to that state. Thank you for helping me take a step closer.
Colleen, you did it again. What a grand, gut-kicking, heart-stroking way to start the day! I chuckled with the truth that the “hard, hard ground” was always there anyway.
We’re such a funny species. From all the people I love, when they open up, they reveal treasure chests of jewels … why is it that we think our own reveal will be so much less dazzling?
I don’t know where you get your wisdom or your beautiful ability to share it but please continue. Ya got some pretty great gems there yourself!
Jump
jump
jump with me
Yes
yes
yes i shall
I love all that spills from you Colleen.
Your work and thoughts
are simply
magnificent
i love this! it gets to what i’ve been realizing (remembering?) lately: every time i ‘leap’ into doing my own thing, magical mojo is everywhere but when i do the ‘conventional’ thing and take an office job, the mojo goes away. i’ve been leaping in and out for many years and it’s high time i make this leap the FINAL leap!
also love the “hard ground..being there anyway” – it reminds me of something a dance teacher taught me years ago: “The Floor IS Your Friend” and it really is – it will support you though it can be hard to fall on sometimes =-)
I truly love your wisdom AND your lunacy! The combination of the two reveals your truest power. You’ve touched so many hearts and souls, including mine. Thank you! xoxooxo
Colleen:
Wow, awesome poem!! This really speaks to me in many ways. On one hand it reminds me of my improv days. But it also reminds me that I need to do today and every day. Just jump in. Thanks for sharing this!!
Again! Perfectly put! Thank you for the reminder!
Yea, this is special. Unique. The kind of thing I’ll bookmark and pop back to every now and then and gleam some more.
Honoured that you used my pic for it.
Jump
jump
jump with me
Matt
Fabulous. Love.
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