* Feet First

Ashbery inspired celebration of the Olympics of life. * ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION IN RED NOISE COLLECTIVE

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Luck becomes critical

when life is a luge, a feet-first approach

to falling, as few see glaciers

from underneath, as few know polar bears

skateboard across thin ice, and being unclear

how to go slower

impossible

to steer, it's feet first flying,

falling, really, downhill on rails, down

the mountain,

flailing,

at least two orders of magnitude from the

expected, exception-

ally confused in all that white,

northern climes all do it,

this feet first falling,

just the opposite of a snowman.

Reviews

[FGFRANKLIN]

This was quite wonderful. It gave me two bits of striking imagery; the first of wanting to land on our feet like a cat and the second, a bit more obscure, of Olaf, the snowman in Frozen, when he falls apart and has to go looking for his parts to put himself back together. But I can only blame the latter on my being the father of an eight year old little girl. My life is often cartoons, tea parties and fashion shows but just as often Lego building, drawing and Hot Wheels racing. I'm an extremely happy man who feels very blessed. I enjoyed your write. It was well worded and exceptionally presented. Well done.

[W. Barrett Munn]

Thank you. I took a metaphorical page from John Ashbery’s book and played with ideas and words. The meaning is whatever in it you find.

Winston