Stumble
I tripped on a slick root
lost my grip beneath a cloud curled sky
pouring early morning rain
the fall I nearly fell summoned a deft response—
an instinct
a flash
a moment to catch myself
betraying the darkness
25 thoughts on "Stumble"
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love “cloud curled” & “the fall I nearly fell”!
Thank you. Sadly, it’s true! This morning was…oof!
You capture the reader from the first sentence. Too, I love “the fall I nearly fell.”
Thanks, John. It was slick out there today.
you had me slipping and sliding on those first two lines. especially love the whimsy of personifying the darkness
Thank you, Gaby!
Loved: “lost my grip beneath a cloud curled sky”
And well done capturing the reflex in this piece. I could see those hands jutting out for a last-second save.
The slick surface was no joke. I really almost kissed the ground for a moment. Ha! Thanks for reading.
Love,: “lost my grip beneath a cloud curled sky” and especially “the fall I nearly fell”
Good caych!
catch…
Thank you, Pam! Boy, those instincts kick in, even in the wee hours of the morning. Thanks so much for reading. 💜
A wonderful betrayal! A stumble wakes us – a fall can bury us. Glad for the catch and the poem!
Thank you! My muscles, bones, and face are super grateful. Ha! Thank you so much for reading. 💜
The line breaks in this poem are so effective! Very nice poem.
Thank you, Nancy! I am happy to hear that you found them effective!
So many rhythmic sounds, such careful word choice, and line breaks. The poems arrangement also echoes a stumble. So well done.
Thank you, Karen! The stumble was a major influence this morning. I always appreciate your kind close reads. 💜
Your writing drew me in to feel like I was right there. “The fall I nearly fell” is an amazing line.
Thank you, Virginia! Glad you enjoyed this poem. 💜
Very rhythmic! Love the form and line breaks, H.A. Well done
Thank you, L.! I appreciate that you enjoyed this one.
Nice one, HA. Especially fond of “betraying the darkness” — such a strong ending line and image!
Thank you, Bill. It’s always wonderful to read your comments. Thanks for reading. So glad you like this one!
I love the tension between despair and survival in this poem.
Thanks, Jeremy. Yeah, avoiding slipping and falling in middle age is certainly that! 🤣 Thanks for reading!