“So I sit on the edge, wagging my feet above the abyss” – Jim Harrison
seated as a half-pint child
feet far from the floor, feeling out the fun
limbs let loose as broken elastic
with each forward swing, bright, white socks
momentarily seen, like washing on a windy line
there is regularity, a percussive rhythm
piano and forte playing on chair legs
tut-tut-tutting adults – and the reverie breaks
I’m weighted to this ledge with a heavy heart
a fixed far-ahead eye pinpoints panic
how hypnotic the infinite downrush of an abyss
a succubus of souls, temptation for even a saviour
to test belief in rescuing angels
Joining Jilly for her Harrison prompts and Day 8 of 28 Days of Reason
PoetryPix 
That pivot is astounding and heart wrenching and so effective! The view in both directions makes this poem one of your strongest ever! Outstanding!
many thanks to you Jilly for this – I like your word’ pivot’ – just right for this being on edge between then and now.
Nice how you swing us from “loose as broken elastic” happiness of childhood to the downward rushing loss of adulthood. Love the last line.
quite a mood contrast but the ‘wagging’ word set the initial tone followed by the abyss – the last line rose up quite out of the blue – thank you
Brought back memories of dreaded piano lessons for this half-pint child.
I remember those – and can still swing my feet
Me too 🙂
I like the flow from light to dark…. you twisted it just right.
Thank you Vivian – it started out so bright!
😊
What a seamless twist to this. I love it.
glad to hear it slipped seamlessly off the edge – thank you!
I can see this child, and I also felt this had a seamless twist–lurch?– to the edge.
Like you and Jane, I can still swing my legs. Yay for the shorties. 🙂
thanks for your comments Merril – we shorties dangle with delight
🙂