An unfamiliar market town
A big fat pretty river to my right
with a rotting wooden fishing jetty
And a run down hotel for sale
to my left.
I stepped off the pavement
to cross the road
And I fell over.
I landed on my bum
and on my knee
and on my hand.
My first time wearing ripped jeans.
I looked at my new owwie
through my knee window blinds
And it was soft,
it was swollen,
it was sore.
It took a minute,
but confirmation came-
I definitely have blood
inside my knee.
It is normal.
It is normal
when in an unfamiliar place
when admiring its beauty and character
when considering what it wants to offer
when learning how to formulate
your response
To misstep.
Because to walk in this place
is not like walking in other places.
There is an age where owwies are normal
where to get owwies
is to get kisses
and ice cream
and sometimes tetanus shots
but mainly kisses
and ice cream.
I choose to be that age forever.
Jaya Berged 