Twister

While I am in an old writing class folder, here's an old scribble.

I am going to Rhode Island in just about a month, for my mother's 70th birthday and all I can eat of her Thanksgiving classics. I will have the rare chance, as well, to spend lots of time with a friend I've had almost all my life.

She was on my mind when I played with this, back in the same class: (I can't get this to space right in blogger and just want to move on to other things, so I'll apologize for the spacing; normally it has the back and forth of a Twister mat....)

A Game of Twister


Spin. Left foot blue.


I'll stretch. If you lean
left I'll weave my left
leg through this tunnel and…
there.


Spin. Right hand red.


When we laid the mat
one June night 30 Junes
back, Did you know?


Spin. Left hand green.


Did you know we'd be at this for life?


Matted circles spread
out in my pool room. Red,
yellow, green,
blue. Spinner flicked into a dizzying



Spin. Right foot yellow.


I hear the mat crinkle even when I can't see you.
I lean back and feel you bend,
a crazy straw of twisted limbs.
Hearts, breath, bodies. Lives.



Spin. Left hand blue.


30 Junes passed
the braid is a knot, fixed.
Boyfriends, husbands, baby boys,
Births. Storms. Death. Tears.

Miracles.

Spin