This is a small poetry club that started as a poetry email exchange between two friends. Our goal is to read a poem everyday, and this blog is one way to help keep us accountable. There is only one valid rule in poetry club: there are no rules in poetry club. Read any poem, in any order, with any or no interactions. You decide. We only suggest you read poetry!
6 Feb: "WILMA RUDOLPH" by Ann Whitford Paul
One leg was bent; her foot turned in. She had to wear a heavy brace and an ugly, hateful shoe. Each pace, each step, she scraped and clunked. Kids gathered close to stare at her and taunt and tease. Slowly Wilma hobbled off. She found a secret place, unbuckled the brace, untied the shoe, then yanked them off. Every day she practiced walking. How it hurt to hold her leg the normal way! At first Wilma stumbled. She dragged her foot. Step, slow step . . . slow lurching steps . . . until she learned to walk! Faster! Faster! Wilma began to run. She ran and ran and ran.
It is the tribulation of the world that allows running to feel like running, the sweet to feel sweet....
ReplyDeleteA good poem for times of testing.
It reads so awkward, like the awkwardness of Wilma's gait.
ReplyDelete