Falling Up the Stairs

On the bottom rung crawling up the stairs, My life has just started, I’m free without a care, But something’s urging me to keep pushing on Struggling on the second step, then it all goes wrong Tumbling back down, landing on my head, Next thing I remember, mother’s laying me to bed, Some time after, on the stairs yet again, About halfway up, looking good but then, Go head over heels, rolling all the way back down, Ending up in a bundle, flat out on the ground, No pain this time, was actually kind of fun, But dad heard me falling, got hard smack on the bum, After dinner climbing resumed, must reach the top, Didn’t make it that day, was never going to stop, Finally some weeks later, I made it all the way, Never forget that feeling, perseverance paid, The reward jumping up and down, on my parents bed, This was my life in general, when all this is said, Nothing came easy, a few highs and lows, Done the best I could, took some nasty blows, Now I’m old and frail, stairs are a mountain once more, Every step I take, knees and hips are sore, But my determinations strong, like that brazen child, We’re still the same person, completely reconciled, Still guess I’m lucky, to have made it round full circle, Sheer grit forged me, But Its killing me to be careful. By David Kavanagh