For Cyclists

I used to ride a bike, years ago. I admire those who cycle long distances, the Tour de France, Cops for Cancer on Vancouver Island. Now all the house-bound people who are getting out on their bikes, but still keeping their distance …

FOR CYCLISTS

they have so much faith
in the movement of legs
down and around

balance on pedals
under the ball of their feet
the steady pushing down

weight focused easy
from foot to foot  leg to leg
they sit dynamically

urging bodies forward
with continual thrust
against wind   hill or flat

land spinning away beneath
wheels     gears shifted
up or down for maximum

effect and effort while
accommodating breath
handlebars firmly gripped

the long-distance people
watch time    fluid intake
aware of cramp and ache

bodies   minds taking it all
in breathing it out    and
accepting air with heart-beat

cross the line on a drift
check finish time
before sharing triumph

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A Bedroom of Searchlights’: poetry. This collection draws a picture of the poet’s divorced mother, an artist with two children, who struggled with poverty, war, and the realities of daily life, yet still found beauty and comfort in her garden, and her art. From Inanna Publications, 2016.