Notes About The Poem
image from stockcake.com
This Week's Poetry Challenge: Autumn Memory --Write a poem about an autumn memory.
Rules:Poem must include an autumn image, such as leaves, wind, harvest, pumpkins, or cool air.
Challenge Dates: September 14, 2026 - September 20, 2026.
Harvesting the Miles - This Week's Poetry Challenge
I remember the way October
met us at the starting line~
cold enough to sting,
loud enough to wake every nerve
waiting beneath my skin.
The starting gun fired,
and I surged forward,
forgetting pace, forgetting caution,
letting adrenaline choose the first mile
for me.
We ran north
straight into a head wind
that felt carved from ice,
uphill,
two long miles
where breath came sharp
and the world narrowed
to the sound of feet
against pavement.
Eventually the course leveled,
and I found myself again~
my rhythm,
my training,
my steady promise
to keep going.
Leaves gathered at my feet,
a swirl of color
that rose and fell
with each step.
Their crunch
became a kind of music,
a small percussion
that matched my cadence,
reminding me
I was still moving forward.
A fine mist drifted across the course,
soft but insistent,
making every curve
a moment to choose
safety over speed.
I passed runners,
was passed by others,
all of us carrying
our own quiet reasons
for being there.
Cold numbed the ache in my legs,
but not the feeling~
that strange, bright aliveness
that comes only
when you harvest months
of effort
in a single morning.
When I crossed the finish gate
and heard my time,
I gasped~
a personal best,
earned in wind and mist
and stubborn joy.
The camaraderie lingered,
the shared breath,
the shared grit,
the shared belief
that we were capable
of more than the world
ever guessed.
And I carry that day still~
the wind,
the leaves,
the cold,
the triumph~
a reminder that once,
I was a 300-pound woman
who ran thirteen miles
and claimed her life back
one step at a time.
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a
Premium Membership.
