Cannonball!

September 7, 2011 at 12:04 pm · Filed under Good stuff, Mostly true, Poems ·Tagged author, cannonball dive, Charles L. Mashburn, funny, high diving board, http://promisingpoetsparkinglot.blogspot.com/2011/09/agreement-for-thursday-poets-rally-week.html, laughter, poetry, six years old, writer

I know every guy reading this–well almost every guy–was once this 6-9 year-old boy overlooking the world from the high diving board at the town pool. I can promise you, I did not write this poem using second-hand information. I have to tell you, too, reading this poem almost cools me off. It is hot out there! Fall is in the air though, so I’ll submit this to Poetry Palace’s Poet’s Rally #51 today, and hopefully put a fitting cap on this long hot summer! Enjoy!

Cannonball

 

The girls all scream and curse me

The boys threaten bodily harm

Soaked one and all from my cannonball

I toss them some toothless charm

 

Six years of age and afraid of nothing

I scramble up the high ladder again

Stand on the board overlooking the world

Drying fast in a hot summer wind

 

A glorious day I’m thinking

Looking down at the sparkling pool

In the shallow end, little brothers        

Horsing ‘round and acting the fool

 

Ah, but the audience below me

Jealous disdain in their eyes

Shouting and calling me names

Tis my bravery they truly despise

 

Without warning I leap from the board

As one they gasp at my daring

I fly through the air, grinning wide

No teeth in the front, but not caring

 

I hit the water with a solid kerplunk

Knees hugged up tight to my chin

When I break water to a chorus of insults

I know I’ve soaked them all again

 

Copyright © 1998 C. Mashburn

 

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