ZappoMan.com - Fitness Blog

A diversion from training… in verse?

January 23rd, 2007

Yesterday I mentioned my cousin Joe. He’s really quite a nice guy. He may also be a little surprised by the attention… but alas, he has only himself to blame. He put up a blog. He commented on my blog. He has taken back to the roads to cycle. He also happens to like poetry from iconoclasts and scoundrels. (Note, I don’t actually have any proof that Billy Collins is a scoundrel, but I suspect he’s a hoot at a party!)

I didn’t really know that much about Billy Collins till last night… but I was struck by Joe’s reference to his poetry… and so I had to dig deeper. Sometime around 2:30am I was done for the night. Here is my work product…

“Untitled” (by Brad Hefta-Gaub, 2007)

My legs scream just to stop the pain.
My legs scream just to stop the pain.
They remember last night’s rest.
They remember last night’s rest.
Last night’s legs remember just my scream.
They rest to stop the pain.

Wheels laugh and kiss the road.
Wheels laugh and kiss the road.
The chain doesn’t care, it taunts me.
The chain doesn’t care, it taunts me.
Chain me and laugh, kiss the wheels.
“The road doesn’t care”, it taunts.

Darkly black, do I see the glass?
Darkly black, do I see the glass?
But, now my tire is flat.
But, now my tire is flat.
My tire is darkly, flat, black, now,
But I do see the glass.

Chain taunts me, “The tire doesn’t care”, they laugh.
And flat black is last night’s kiss.
Remember the pain, wheels, the road,
Now rest my legs, to stop my scream,
I see the glass but darkly,
Just do it.

It’s my first paradelle! Gosh, ain’t it cute.

Now get back to the road! It’s time to ride!

Entry Filed under: Fitness, Triathlon, Diet, Ironman, Family, Cycling, Billy Collins, Poetry