Caren Krutsinger Poet Free verse

The Child In You

Jumping, running, whirling, spinning, laughing.
They are tumbling now, down, the hill, into the leaf pile.
A handful of leaves are thrown high in the air.
The child soul of you wishes that you were down there rolling in that pile,
But you know you cannot be.
Not anymore.
Not like you want to.
Your torn ACL 
Your arthritis
Your equilibrium
Your sore shoulder
And your neck ache holds you hostage, watching, remembering,
The child in you wants to jump and run and whirl and twirl in that leaf pile.
Twenty years ago you would be in that leaf pile, rolling and laughing
The fear of breaking something, or reinjuring your knee holds you back for a second.
Then the ornery takes over.
Watch out! You yell! I’m coming!
You lie on the ground and roll about an inch.
The grandchildren howl with laughter.
And you do too.

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M. L. Kiser November 5, 2018 at 11:21 AM Me too; all of it; don't you hate it that your body end up decades older than your child mind? I remember those days...sometimes I break the rules, as well. Caren Krutsinger November 5, 2018 at 2:24 PM I keep saying to myself "You cannot do it! Don't do it!" and then more often than not I find myself in a lot of pain because my child-self jumped out of that tree anyway.

Rhona Mcferran October 30, 2018 at 5:28 PM LOVE it!! Look out- here I come!!! *jumps in leaf-pile, too* Caren Krutsinger October 31, 2018 at 12:10 AM Of course fear cannot hold me back forever!

Michelle Faulkner October 30, 2018 at 12:42 PM Ah yes, let your 'child soul' out to play! Though I don't think I would, too afraid now of spiders and bugs! Caren Krutsinger October 31, 2018 at 12:10 AM hahahahaha Spiders. Bah! Bugs. I eat bugs!