Day 20

American Ninja Junior
Dreaming obstacles
this is not a game.
Long ago on metal
jungle gyms
we flung ourselves
hand over hand
crossed the moat
of shredded tires
8 feet up we left
the skin of our palms
behind to catch
the cargo net
grab the ring
keep going.
Witches hat
warped wall
the whole playground
was a spider walk
a dodge of thick
rubber balls
unstable bridges
burning ropes
we were backyard
warriors crazy
steely grip
finger strength, Traceurs.
our fancy footwork
balance honed
on wobble boards
teeter totters
we were tomboy
terrorists who
swung from our
knees, flipped
and kept running
not so much winning
as hitting our mark
without falling
leaping the puddle
beating the bell.