"I went for a long run today"

(An autobiographical account
of September 22, 2009).

I went for a long run today.

I love to run around the park,
The breeze blowing in my face.

I ran by families going fishing,
Clusters of friends playing frisbee,
Little girls feeding a flock of geese.

That's when I got a blister on my foot.
I tried limping for a little while,
But that was not very effective in
Stopping the rubbing, the hurting.

I was struggling on the cement path,
When I had a brilliant idea--
I took off my shoes and walked in the grass,
Down the green slope, among the trees,
And to the little rippling pond below.

When is the last time you untied your feet,
Toes hidden among the silky blades of grass?
Why do they call them "blades" anyway
When they are so soft and soothing?
The strands of grass? No, that wouldn't work--
It sounds like the earth is unraveling.

Well, you should try it sometime soon.
The freedom of your toes to wiggle,
The refreshing tickle of nature's fingers.
Most days my feet seem to be numb.
I don't even think about them
Housed in their little leather soles.
What a joy to feel my feet again!