POETRY — CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
Our Night at the Amusement Park
We will have fun even if it kills us!
Anticipating this night all week, it was finally time
We could see it far in the distance
Standing tall, bright lights piercing the night sky
Around us were the hum of generators making power for all the excitement to be had
As we came closer we could hear the screams and yells of fun being had
We bought our tickets and stood in line
Being patient, like we really had a choice
Up close it looked a little tired, worn, and rickety
We didn’t care, it would be our turn soon
Sure enough, it was time for us to mount the ride
It won’t be long now, time to prepare our lungs
Slowly it lifted from the ground, and into the air
Our feet dangled like noodles on a fork
We hope that we tied our shoes good
The machine-made grinding sounds as it lifted, as if to say “get off of me”
Of course, we didn’t, quite the opposite
We held our breath for a minute, then the chairs lunged forward into the humid air
The faint breeze became more of a rush of air
Our chairs swung wildly into the dark sky
Near misses, but not a scrape
Only being lit by the electronics of the lights, and the other beastly machines around us
The chairs moved faster and faster, going around and around
Our hearts raced, our pulse went crazy, and life was only about that moment
As we swung further in a widening circle, we could see all our friends on the ground
We could see others waiting in anticipation of it being their turn
No, not yet. We are still up here having “fun”
Suddenly the groaning mechanical sounds of the machine lessened, the chairs slowed
The height changed, slowly at first, then faster still
As fast as it had started, it ended even faster still
Soon we will be on the ground, “what a bummer” we said to ourselves
We got unstrapped from the cheaply made harnesses that showed many a night’s wear
We headed for the exits, staggering a little as we got used to being on firm ground
We all turned around, looking back at the great machine
Not being sure of who screamed first since there were so many panicked shrieks into the night air
“Who freaked first” we each wanted to ask the others, but none of us dared
So we settled on slowly walking away, hats in hand, that is if we had one to wear
Then these words came to us all at once
“So, what are we going to ride next”?
The adventure begins again!
In Closing
Here where I live, we still have a State Fair. I have always loved attending it, everything from the great food, the wondrous sights of food made from scratch, and even seeing the home or farm grown vegetables and ingredients.
You can also see local celebrities at my State Fair; see row after row of booths offering anything your heart desires.
Oh, and don’t forget the many animals on display waiting to be judged and then awarded ribbons and prizes.
Of course, my absolute favorite thing about the State Fair is the crazy fun amusement park rides. Though they may not be as impressive as the rides at a Kings Island or Disney World, their “charms” make up for anything that they may be lacking in technology, safety, or size.
I have just always enjoyed a good fair, I guess.
Perhaps you enjoy the fair too? If you do and want to share a memory, leave me a comment.
About Michael
Michael Thacker is a not so young adult blogger, aspiring writer, and sometimes seller of real estate.
Michael tweets a LOT on Twitter. Posts every once in a while on Facebook. Occasionally lets his opinions be known to friends, family, and anyone else that will listen.
Connect with Michael
You can follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MichaelThackerI.
If you want to connect on Facebook, the best place is https://www.facebook.com/RMichaelThacker/