Exercising Memory
A poem by Tricia Knoll

Exercising Memory

Push it to pant in oxygen debt?
Fling it to the locker room bench or
stamp the mud off its treads?

Lift the blue barbells of the past
to your chin over and over?
Punch the bag with fisted gloves?

Grasp what got you here.
Sip at fluid memories to keep you
juicy. Let the sweated-outs

fall into the dirty sock basket –
unless they sneak up demanding
another sprint to the finish.

Then follow the elders in the park
as they subtle-shift toward still
points, mirror how they float

plushy hands to hold the moon
before tracing clouds on their way.

About the Author:

Tricia Knoll is a Vermont poet who lives with two dogs in the deep woods. Dogs frequently show up in Knoll’s work — but so do trees. Her most recent collection, One Bent Twig (FutureCycle Press 2023) contains poems about trees she has planted, loved, and worries about due to climate chaos. Website: triciaknoll.com
For information:

twitter:@ triciaknollwind

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