Amy Baskin
see saws and other perils
kick and push spin
as fast as we can, we laugh
we’re never getting off
we’re always getting off
on the cuts, the scrapes
our rough and tumble play
wandering alone, unsupervised
hanging our heads over the sides
our knuckles scrape asphalt
we pull bark chips from our hair
find new ways to scrape our knees
we laugh ourselves silly until
our sides cramp and then we laugh
some more— we will never stop the ride
only fools jump off
and stay off
what causes dizziness in adults
why could we once spin for hours
now we huddle in the middle
so we won’t get as sick— is it more
neurological or psychological,
this fear of being harmed
this going round in circles hurts
more than the broken arms, the cuts
the late nights out with music
under the spinning stars
replaced by the reassurance
of steady early bird specials
when the tall metal slides
are replaced with short plastic and
see saws and other perils
are removed
it’s the end of
10 foot-high jungle gyms
we will refuse
to let them take
our merry-go-round
we will stay on
when do some lose
their ability to spin endlessly--
Eustachian tubes
gape open from swallowing
and holding back tears
we equalize the pressure
we hold hands across the divide
refusing to jump
bodies pulled outwards
away from each other
centrifugal force goads us
to separate
get off in opposing directions
is it stubborn or resilient to refuse
to let go
again
let’s do it again
only fools stay on
and still get off
as fast as we can, we laugh
we’re never getting off
we’re always getting off
on the cuts, the scrapes
our rough and tumble play
wandering alone, unsupervised
hanging our heads over the sides
our knuckles scrape asphalt
we pull bark chips from our hair
find new ways to scrape our knees
we laugh ourselves silly until
our sides cramp and then we laugh
some more— we will never stop the ride
only fools jump off
and stay off
what causes dizziness in adults
why could we once spin for hours
now we huddle in the middle
so we won’t get as sick— is it more
neurological or psychological,
this fear of being harmed
this going round in circles hurts
more than the broken arms, the cuts
the late nights out with music
under the spinning stars
replaced by the reassurance
of steady early bird specials
when the tall metal slides
are replaced with short plastic and
see saws and other perils
are removed
it’s the end of
10 foot-high jungle gyms
we will refuse
to let them take
our merry-go-round
we will stay on
when do some lose
their ability to spin endlessly--
Eustachian tubes
gape open from swallowing
and holding back tears
we equalize the pressure
we hold hands across the divide
refusing to jump
bodies pulled outwards
away from each other
centrifugal force goads us
to separate
get off in opposing directions
is it stubborn or resilient to refuse
to let go
again
let’s do it again
only fools stay on
and still get off
Biography
|
Amy Baskin (she/her) has work featured in Bear Review, River Heron Review, Kai Coggin's Wednesday Night Poetry, and forthcoming in Pirene's Fountain. She is a former Oregon Literary Arts Fellow, a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, and an Oregon Poetry Association prize winner. When not writing, she matches international students at Lewis & Clark College with local residents to help them feel welcome and at home during their time in Oregon.
Twitter: @AmyBaskin Instagram: @AmyBaskinWrites Facebook: @AmyBaskinWrites Goodreads: @AmyBaskinWrites |
