Dominion

Someone, we didn’t know who

had tied this thick hemp rope

way up in that old oak tree, the one

that stretched out over the road

and had for generations

we’d grasp that rope in our hands

and run with a yell down the steep hillside

over the weeds that always grew

even through the poison

out, out, and up, the drop below

twenty feet or more, above the scar

above the road

where we thought our toes

might tear a hole in the sky;

When we’d see cars come

we’d time our jump so

we’d arch out above,

using our youth to define

our dominion over them

and laughing, laughing

we lived for the chance to die;

My mom caught me once

and yelled at me

the whole way home

“don’t you know? it could have been death!”

yeah mom, I think we did know

I think

that was kind of the point.

Reviews

[R.E. Ray]

We hold dominion over the world when we're young. I think it's the number of funerals that change how we view death, not like something we watched on TV but the gray breathless corpse that can't jump or laugh. I remember doing similar things when I was a young kid. Now, my knees shake if I climb higher than a bar stool.

What you've captured is the blind beauty of youth. If only we could hang onto the fun stuff that wouldn't kill us.

[JR]

Damn man, that's an angle I hadn't thought of. We learn what death is by seeing it right there in front of us, and that's what gives us the fear of it. I was really hoping to capture the nostalgia I felt on that old rope, swinging out over the road... this is a 100% accurate story from my youth lol. I'll bet mom still remembers it too...

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

Wow u lucky u never got hurt...then you would be so sorry...reminds me of the game chicken the people played running in front of cars...accidents happen so fast...very adventurous🌹

[JR]

LOL yes, very lucky. All the kids in my neighborhood did some very dumb things... kind of like playing chicken with each other. Thanks for reading!

[‘Thoughts In Time’🌹]

Pleasure🌹

[Relic]

Kids always feel indestructible. It goes along with the territory I guess. I used to do stunts on my motorcycle when I was young. Now I look back and wonder what the hell I was thinking. ha

[JR]

Heh, I know, it's a miracle I didn't do more damage to myself. I was trying to capture that feeling of being able to do anything and kind of spitting in the eye of death.