Beating Time
From one of our talented Brave Writer students:
Ms. Julie,
Mrs. Susanne asked me to send you a copy of a poem that I wrote, which recently won a contest hosted by my city’s local newspaper. I owe much of my poetic knowledge to Mrs. Susanne and to the Brave Writer classes I’ve taken over the years. So here’s an ode to the fruits of Brave Writer!
Beating Time
By Leanna Haag
Listen child, and hear my voice,
Come sit upon my knee;
I will tell you of the time
When bridges sang to me.
Walking down the path one night
I came upon the bridge,
Locked down in the holler deep,
Tight-cradled by the ridge.
Its little roof was crooked,
Its piles glared gloomy grey,
The slippery boards that bound it
Were iced with foamy spray.
I shuddered as I watched it,
Still swaying in the mist.
I ran to meet it, quaking;
It snatched me in its fist.
The rocking bridge rolled ‘neath me,
The slats began to croon,
The river water gurgled,
And jazzed a bluesy tune.
The wind strummed cable cellos –
It whistled through the eaves,
Tugging at my loosened hair
And pulling at my sleeves.
The stars skipped out to swing-dance
With waltzing, tinkling bells.
The moon rose high to watch them,
Quick-stepping with the swells.
The planets stopped to watch us,
The Earth stood still to hear
The purest song in Nature,
Breathed on the silent pier.
The bridge beat out the chorus,
Ta-tum!
The sharp ice hummed in key.
In the country air we danced –
The sky, the bridge and me.
To times when bridges sang,
My child, I’ve bid adieu.
But in your eyes, now I see
Time’s bridged ‘tween me and you.
Congratulations, Leanna! Your award was well deserved!
Image © Stevenrussellsmithphotos | Dreamstime.com
