A Poem on Getting Through Ups and Downs

What I long for most in this crazy world

What I long for most in this crazy world

Is friends and family who are rock solid.

Relationships I can count on to be—

Straight, comfortable—like the NCR.

Predictable as heat on Key Highway’s

Blacktop on the MCVET 5K Sunday.

Sure to appear as the sun each morn.

Sure to remember as an elephant. 

Sure to share wisdom as a wise old owl.

Sure to listen as prey being hunted.

Sure to see like an eagle hunting prey.

Not that I long for predictable folk.

I like predictable relationships.

I don’t mind the rolling marathon hills

In each Baltimore Running Festival.

I pressed on through three uphills and plateaus

Before Heartbreak Hill when I ran Boston.

Life is always full of both highs and lows

And I do not want to hide from either.

And I don’t mind curveballs in life such as

Receiving a drink at a Haitian stand

One Sunday walking the farmers’ market.

Or finding the kitchen collective that

Makes pancakes—sort of a variation

On crepes that I get almost ev’ry week

With my training partner of seven years.

I roll with things that could disrupt my week.

But I choose living with those I count on

To remain solid through both ups and downs

In my life and in our combined lives too.