the stars, the sea, and sleep.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Wide Turns

I pulled out of the alley
In the seventh year
And at that moment I faced
A parent's greatest fear
When it comes to close calls
There were none alike
As when the grill of his car
Met the frame of my bike.

And then he stopped, open jawed
As the neighbors walked out
Not a scream,
Not a shout,
Just silence,
No sound.

And as I picked myself up
From the hot summer ground,
He asked me if I was okay.
With only scratches and scrapes,
All I managed to say was
"I guess I'm not dying today."