Mikaela Castledine #313 Skipping Home

Have you ever jumped rope

skipped into the belly of the swing

while two twirl ended

poised on the front of your toe forward

and one back ready to spring

and pantomimed your hands round

like an open palmed mantra

counting the smack

until you leap

Coming home is like that

somehow outside the rhythm

you rock yourself ready and jump

but if your timing is out

the rope will neck or ankle you

and suddenly you are kneeskinned

on the bitumen drug headed and reeling

and every familiar thing seems impossible

but you get up and try it again

because you know that somewhere

there is a way back into the oscillation of your life