“Hang Tight!”

A star prompt poem with a twist

I’ve heard ‘hang tight’ before in a half a dozen ways.

Synonymous with, Wait! You’ll see. Someone is there for you. Someone loves you.

I’ve been hanging tight far too long to know it isn’t real. Reminds me how strict I had to wear my childhood ponytail.

Hang tight! We’ll let you know if we see your words (shhhh, but not really).

Hang tight! We’ll keep you waiting and wondering for weeks. While I hope for a special email.

So today, I’ve decided to snip, snip, the tightness and set me free.

No longer strung up so tight. I let the pressures pop imperfectly, spilling puddles of prose across fields of prairie pages.

Splash! Splash! later, I will wander over and pick a fair, fair rose.

I’ll play with my words, and string them like macaroni on a sunny strand of string.

And wear it as a necklace, less to charm but to declare I will not ‘Hang Tight’ and beg for anyone’s gold star.

Carolyn Riker is a writer, licensed psychotherapist, former teacher, and a lover of learning & words! She received her MA in Psychological Services and Counseling from Marymount University, Arlington, VA. She continued her post-graduate studies at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. She’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and her 3 books are available on Amazon.

I sincerely thank Jenny Justice for this week’s star prompt. I realize my star poem was less about those in the night sky but I needed to let this one rip and roar so I can return to stargazing later tonight.