Momentum
When you take your foot off the gas pedal
and roll to a stop in front of your house.
When you stop pumping your legs on the swing
and enjoy the ever-shortening trips back and forth.
When you stand still on your skates and just roll
feeling every pebble and sidewalk crack under your wheels.
When you sit at your desk and stare at the ceiling
and let go of the task at hand.
When you know there is a mountain of work to be done
and you deliberately choose not to do it.
Since when did loss of momentum
become equated with some kind of failure?
Today I will reclaim loss of momentum
as a form of pleasure.
I will savor the slow down and the pull back
the drifting and the regathering of strength so I can begin again
later.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2021 (draft)
(totally a Lamipofri...but I like how it flowed out!)
Heidi has the Birthday Edition of the Poetry Friday roundup this week over at my (her) juicy little universe.
I love your lamopofri and perhaps I shall act on its message today...
ReplyDeleteI'll take the "slow down and pull back/regathering of strength so I can begin again/later." And sometimes I throw up that whole "mountain of work" and it feels good, thanks Mary Lee!
ReplyDeleteSome days, gliding with that momentum one has created is the reward to "reclaim" for yours, just yours. Love the stance, Mary Lee!
ReplyDeleteThe momentum of writing a comment, a great comment that connects and moves forward and then blip off the screen it goes.
ReplyDeleteThe momentum of starting over because goddogit I will not be stopped by computer ya-ya!
The momentum of how we can keep going even when the going gets rough.
My first thought when I saw your title was "Momentum...what's that?" lol Then I loved how you turned this around into a celebration of taking your foot off the gas. Savor away!
ReplyDeleteI like how it flowed out too! Somehow my favorite stanza is this one:
ReplyDelete"When you stand still on your skates and just roll
feeling every pebble and sidewalk crack under your wheels." This is a nice way to frame the challenge. All challenges.
After reading this, I think you invented a new word: Slowmentum :) Yes to slowing your roll! TGIF, Mary Lee--may you find slowments this weekend.
ReplyDeleteMary Lee, this is lovely, and it resonates so much with me and with discussions with and about my elderly father, who only sees slowing down as failure, not as a time to relax and enjoy the momentum of a lifetime of working hard. Yes to the beauty of slowing down!
ReplyDelete"Today I will reclaim the loss of momentum
ReplyDeleteas a form of pleasure." Yes--it's a way of being kind to yourself and gathering strength. Have a great weekend.
savor the pullback--I could use more of that.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Am I allowed to say you're on a roll? :)
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show you that slowing down sometimes leads to acceleration, or at least an easy 'flow'. :)
ReplyDelete