Friday, 4 July 2014

A Derbyshire Cyclist's Song


We've all gone cycling crazy this weekend, and in honour of the Grand Depart passing very briefly through Derbyshire, here's a commissioned poem I wrote in the voice of a slightly worn-out Derbyshire cyclist. Happy biking, everyone!

A Derbyshire Cyclist’s Song

Cycling up our county’s tilted hills,
I slow the pedals, hover bird-like
until the forge of my own heartbeat stills.

I think of Tebbit’s famous “on yer bike”.
Did he mean movement equals fight?
I don’t know how to name this work,

these moments of uncomplicated flight:
pitted against limestone, the path going beserk,
running away from gravity.

Perhaps he meant keep on and lose yourself.
If you find meaning in activity
you’ve found the spoke of life itself…

Who cares. This is my slow labour of like.
I can’t stop now. I get back on my bike.

No comments: