Thinking of Turtles
thinking of turtles
I go straight to fables: The Tortoise and the Hare -
and how slow and steady wins the race
that same old story, been there, done that
think back think back - I’m back in grade school now
Mom didn’t like dogs and cats,
so she got us a turtle which died in weeks
probably not a good idea -
one small shared turtle passed around
among six pairs of small eager exploring hands
I think that to live a really long time
a turtle needs to be gigantic
like those huge ones on Galapagos. . .
how I loved learning in junior high geography
things like how those tortoises can live longer than my grandma
and how folks can ride atop their hard shell backs!
riding riding. . . now I’m back in high school
riding in a boyfriend’s car, sure I must have been
snuggled close to him, but maybe not
he was really into rules and I can’t remember
when wearing seat belts came to be a law!
Alvin was the name of this tall good looking guy
a year or two ahead of me in school
but in a different school from mine
across the Mississippi in a town of Illinois
his hair was dark and wavy, his eyes were brightly blue
even his nose was perfect, and he was so sweet
when he invited me to church camp across the river
for hours playing handsies covertly on our pew
we listened to religion droning on and on
and my mind was not on God
later at his house, making out
I never would have let him get too far
but I could tell he thought I was too fast. . .
I remember thinking as he drove me home
how slowly and carefully he maneuvered that car
how slowly he articulated
every word he spoke
and it entered in my mind
this religious rule abiding boy with the perfect face
and lips that gave such perfect kisses
drove, talked and probably thought
as slowly as a turtle
Alvin never dated me again
I wonder sometimes what he’s doing now
and if slow and steady
won the race
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