Sunday, January 5, 2014

Hopscotch



There is much to be said for the making of lines.
I number the spaces, a canopy on top;
chalk is brave.

The stone I saved for too many years
slides from my pocket; warm
on my thigh.

Before I toss it I expect socks to fall,
another skinned knee, someone to call me in
for supper.

I take chances; hopscotch one foot, then the other,
knowing there's no turning back, until I land on both feet,
unscathed. 


tk/January 2014


R.A.D. Stainforth makes my simple words beautiful... 


30 comments:

  1. Like the playfulness of the poem..and 'taking chances'.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hopscotch, like Jacks & marbles, constitute hours of our childhood; play before the advent of electronic constant complex stimulation; a lovely jump onto the pollywog of preadolescence.

    ReplyDelete
  3. memories of my childhood when my knees were constantly battered and bruised!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really like this one there's something to be said for memories and poetry. I like the parallel you drew with chalk landing on both feet at the end. Bravo!

    ReplyDelete
  5. "R A D Stainforth makes my simple words beautiful." Not taking a thing away from R A D, your words were beautiful - as written!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Loved the poem.. sure those stones would make it tempting to hopscotch... or maybe that OCD...?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your take on the photo is so beautiful! I like it that you carry such a lovely childhood memory into adulthood.

    It somehow makes me of this quote: We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. (George Bernard Shaw)

    Thanks for this poem.

    Take care and keep smiling.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the great quote... posted it to my Facebook timeline ...

      Delete
  8. I love the childhood experience seen through an adult's perspective. I do mean that as a compliment. An adult sees, remembers what we, the child took for granted.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I remember playing this game..making boxes with brightly colored chalk on the sidewalk..always like to read your poetry and of course enjoy the readings as they bring them to life.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I can see how the cobbles could remind you of the hopscotch game. Clever!

    ReplyDelete
  11. an amazing take on the prompt...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Taking chances is a good thing. Only then one is sure of having tried and achieved somthing! Nicely Tess!

    Hank

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your words always create worlds, as you have done here, linking the past to present and hoped for future. Very nice.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Four square is what would take me back, I think. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love the hopscotch idea ... a clever piece of writing of childhood days.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Once a hopscotcher, always a hopscotcher. We carry it forever.

    ReplyDelete
  17. It's your perseverance that always wins..just perfect in my eyes!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Tess, your poem is beautiful ... brings to mind all of the scuffed knees I suffered playing hop scotch ~ and double dutch! As always, Mr. Stainforth is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  19. wonderful where this image took you! and your poem took me back to those very same days.

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a delightful first line, Tess! Leads us merrily into the piece!

    ReplyDelete
  21. that last stanza gave me chills...always a treat to read a poem or yours, miss tess!

    stacy lynn mar
    http://warningthestars.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  22. Couldn't be a better poem as special interpretation of this image and its mysterious harkening. Loved and related to it, Tess.

    I also reallyreally like R.A.D.'s beard!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Good thing you saved that stone . . . Fun!

    ReplyDelete

Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)