jdubqca

poetry by j matthew waters

Archive for the tag “bicycle”

05 Jul 2023
2 Comments

summer again


I don’t know how old I am
but my newest bicycle turned seven
last week

the other day it did a number on my lower back
—come next morning I was hunchbacked
& girl scouts had to help me
with my socks & shoes

in the freezer in the basement
is where I keep a few boxes of thin mints
there’s a lock on the door
the key misplaced for weeks or months

this house is much too big for me anymore
one doorbell and too many key holes

sometimes I think it’s the dead of winter
but the air conditioner runs nonstop
forcing me to wear long johns & sweaters

in the garage is where I work on my bicycle
until I am unable to stand up straight

it is summer again & I am tired
like an overstuffed bear





july two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , ,
04 Dec 2018
2 Comments

out of time


flashing back to sixty-nine
miracle mets ruining my summer
and the ensuing autumn
forever stamped as an asterisk
in my playbook

in november I received
a green single-speed schwinn
for my birthday
but was forced to postpone
its maiden voyage
until the late february thaw

it was a long and lonely winter
(that much I remember)
and I was afraid
even then
that I was going to run out of time

how little did I know




december two thousand eighteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserve

Posted in Baseball, Poetry and tagged , , ,
26 Aug 2013
4 Comments

five o’clock pass


shifting down to high speed
he pushes the pedals
down down down
feeling the tension inside
thighs and calves and IT bands
grimacing and racing
approaching the rail yard

the freight train slows to a crawl
the conductor waving
outside the window
the biker stretching out one hand
high into the air
yelling
thank you thank you thank you


august two thousand thirteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
22 Jul 2012
4 Comments

Crimson and Me


I rode my new bike called Crimson
down the Southern route
of the Urban Trail.
I soon met a squad car inching toward me;
two of its wheels on the path
and two on the grass.

The officer flinched his finger and thumb
directly at me with a smile.
I just stared at him in passing,
confused like a dog
sorting out a strange animal
for the first time.

As I carried on I pondered
changing into my red cape
and saving the day
by single-handedly
apprehending the villain
who lurked somewhere in the brush.



july two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , ,
10 Jun 2012
2 Comments

bicycle


i road my bike around the city
because i had nothing better
to do. i freed my mind and told
myself i could do this
even at my advanced age.
getting out of the valley was a bitch
but i shifted into the lowest gear
and pretended i was walking
down a flattened hill.
by the time i reached the river
i gave my bicycle to a little boy
and took a taxi home.



june two thousand twelve
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved

Posted in In the City, Poetry and tagged , ,

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