Running to the lift

One of the most enduring images of fatherhood,
the look on Emily's face
as she runs down the aisle
to the lift
in the new Sainsburys supermarket at Upwey.
As she runs, she looks back over her shoulder.
The look is one of sheer ecstasy;
"Look at me, Daddy! Look what I can do," it says,
although she does not in fact say anything.
The sheer ecstasy says it all.

She loves pressing the lift button,
seeing it turn to a circle of bright green spots,
and then the doors slide open.
After months of screaming and crawling and clumsiness,
Emily has discovered Running.
And right at this moment,
Running is what Emily was born to do.
Of course in her turning to share her magnificence with us,
she loses her balance and ... Splat! ...
flying forwards and spreading out like they teach you to do in free-fall,
the ecstasy is brought to an abrupt detritus.
Then there is a moment's pause while she inhales enough breath to give the calamity its full weight
and she lets out a scream that fills the voluminousness of the warehouse.

The magnificence of childhood is that she learns Nothing from this.
The next several weekends when we return to Sainbury's,
she always runs to the lift while looking back over her shoulder,
and the ecstasy is no less radiant than the first time.



Poetry by Andrew Bindon
Read 1187 times
star mini Editors' choice
Written on 2015-03-02 at 10:42

dott Save as a bookmark (requires login)
dott Write a comment (requires login)
dott Send as email (requires login)
dott Print text


Jamsbo Rockda The PoetBay support member heart!
Wonderful. Things like that we remember for the rest of our lives with joy.
2015-04-09


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
A charming tale, nicely told. I enjoyed those days.
2015-03-05



We've a lot to learn from children. They remind us of how it first felt to do this and that, such as running for lifts. And every day is a day of discovery and marvel. It's well worth an daily effort to try to look at the world the way they do--fresh and expectant. As Wordsworth put it: The child is father to the man.

I love poems like this that take an ordinary occurrence and make it not only tell a story, but to make a point. Bravo.
2015-03-04


Editorial Team The PoetBay support member heart!
This text has been chosen to be featured on the home page of PoetBay. Thank you for posting it on our poetry website!
2015-03-03



Wonderful.
A perfect recording if the moment with the absolute charm of childhood.
I love this:)
2015-03-02



Oh, the wonders of new discoveries in childhood is such a delight.
To take so much pleasure in what we might even consider a drudgery by now. This is refreshing and delightful.
2015-03-02


ken d williams The PoetBay support member heart!
Are such happy memory's made of. When the toddler grows in to teenager , '' dont , when chating to felow proud pedants DONT , tell keep on about it AGAIN , dad. Then , you smile , grin , only said about that day in Saisburys , a time or two. Then as she chilldren of her own: '' I remember one day , when your mum , granny and I were in Saiburys.......! '' OH DAD NOT AGAIN!
Ken D ;)
2015-03-02


Nathalia
Love your poem. Memories of childhood. I did the same thing, in another store, another time. :-)
2015-03-02