2013 Kidlitosphere Progressive Poem

This poem, the brainchild of Irene Latham of the blog Live Your Poem, began 14 bloggers ago, and has grown since then, one line per blogger at a time (see sidebar for complete list). Today, smack dab in the middle of the poem, it's my turn.


When you listen to your footsteps
the words become music and
the rhythm that you’re rapping gets your fingers tapping, too.
Your pen starts dancing across the page
a private pirouette, a solitary samba until
smiling, you’re beguiling as your love comes shining through.

Pause a moment in your dreaming, hear the whispers
of the words, one dancer to another, saying
Listen, that’s our cue! Mind your meter. Find your rhyme.
Ignore the trepidation while you jitterbug and jive.
Arm in arm, toe to toe, words begin to wiggle and flow
as your heart starts singing let your mind keep swinging

From life’s trapeze, like a clown on the breeze.
Swinging upside down, throw and catch new sounds--

Take a risk, try a trick; break a sweat: safety net?