Saturday, 23 August 2008

Floor exercise (Beijing Olympics, 2008)

There was time (I thought)
when I fell
to consider all sorts
of options

(I’d been watching the gymnasts
tumble. Poised at one corner of the square,
tall,
then three steps and a blur
of turning

Their air held them up
Their floor was a trampoline
of bounce.)

I had time to think
Oh!
The double front somersault with twists.
I’ll land it on my feet. Throw a smile
and my arms up, triumphant,
then twirl on my toes, show perfect
control.
There will be applause and high
scores.

I landed
on one knee. Scraped it
through my trousers (the black ones
with interesting embroidery). Twice.

My Love Your Library bag flew. Spilled
its books on the pavement
as I let it
go and hoped no
-one
noticed.

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