09.17.08
Come On, Little Girl, Walk.
Come on, little girl,
walk.
You have already taught yourself to stand
by pulling yourself up on bookshelves;
do that again, and turn around.
Fling out your foot and grin
and stagger forward like a drunk
but with more enthusiasm.
Fling out your other foot.
Stagger,
fall,
but keep going.
Practice every day,
until you get your feet under you,
and then practice some more.
And sometime,
a long time from now, when your hair is white,
start walking.
And when you meet yourself coming the other way,
take her hands and say,
“Welcome home.”
—–
