Hopscotch Girl

My first piece for Cafe Writing.

We seek to find peace of mind in the word, the formula, the ritual. The hope is illusion. — Benjamin Cardozo

My fears
penned on the sidewalk
in lines of chalk--
nothing
can erase them
good or bad.
Trace, retrace
careful steps, no smudging.
I’m a hopscotch girl
in a concrete world.

One. (skip) Three. Four/Five. (skip) Seven.
Never gonna, never gonna, never get to heaven,
hopscotch girl...

Jump-rope girl, give it a twirl
pick the nits and count the pearls
seek to find a piece of mind
metaphoric ritual hit you all right between the eyes.
Surprise, surprise, hopscotch girl
this is not the world as it’s meant to be.
When you see through bars of chalk
then you walk
then you hope, skip, jump your rope swing
fall
free.