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  • Parachute men say . . .
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Parachute men say . . .

Lenrie Peters

Parachute men say
The first jump
Takes the breath away
Feet in the air disturb
Till you get used to it.

Solid ground
Is not where you left it
As you plunge down
Perhaps head first

As you listen to
Your arteries talking
You learn to sustain hope.

Suddenly you are only
Holding an umbrella
In a windy place
As the warm earth
Reaches out to you
Reassures you
The vibrating interim is over

You try to land
Where green grass yields
And carry your pack
Across the fields

The violent arrival
Puts out the joint
Earth has nowhere to go
You are at the starting point

Jumping across worlds
In condensed time
After the awkward fall
We are always at the starting point


Lenrie Peters

found at http://www.festivaldepoesiademedellin.org

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holder. If you can advise us of the appropriate acknowledgement to be made please contact reception@spl.org.uk

Tags:

adventure African poetry danger experience fear Gambia parachutes

About this poem

This poem, representing the Gambia, is part of The Written World – our collaboration with BBC radio to broadcast a poem from every single nation competing in London 2012.

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Lenrie Peters

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