Popsicle Stick Races

7 Comments

Popsicle Stick Races

Gentlemen, start your engines,
Get your bets and wagers in.
Grab your umbrellas,
Tell all the young fellas,
As the pop sickle stick races begin.

It used to be I relished days,
When all it did was rain.
You couldn't play sports,
In swimsuits or shorts,
But a pair of bare-feet,
And inclined streets,
Were sourses that could sure entertain.

I always collected popsicle sticks,
To satisfy rainy day thrills.
Stuffed in cup,
I'd gather them up,
Run out the door,
In a virtual down pour,
And head up the closest street hill.

Both roadsides would soon come alive,
As rivers rushed toward sewer holes.
The current moved along,
Steady and strong,
Width only deterred,
By the height of the curb,
As its rapids pitched and rolled.

Sometimes it was hard to find,
The most perfect starting line.
But once decided,
I'd crouch down beside it,
Choose 2 contestants,
From my prized investments,
And readied them in precisioned time.

Sometimes I would pause and wait,
Hold back before I'd begin.
I'd build a small dam,
With the palm of my hand,
Plug up the flow,
And get ready to go,
And place my contestants in.

I'd silently start to count,
On your mark, get set, go.
With no hesitate,
I'd lift my palm gate,
The inevitable rush,
Of water would gush,
Propelling my race crafts to flow.

Down the hill the sticks would glide,
Slightly shifting from side to side.
Fluming the lane,
Undetered by rain,
Swiftly they made,
The first driveway,
As I imagined I was hanging five.

Staying their quested course,
My sticks would pick up speed.
They virtually flew,
Past driveway two,
Past a mailbox,
Under some trucks,
With stick two in the narrowest lead.

I would walk, bent to the side,
Making sure neither flared too wide.
One slight mistake,
An unchartered wake,
Could cause them to bound,
Or wash aground,
Or away with a passing tire's tide.

With the finish line now well in sight,
I'd run ahead and get positioned just right,
As the sticks would approach,
I'd get in a crouch,
Stand ready to defend,
The sewer's way in,
And spare them a "down the drain" plight.

It looks like a photo finish,
Who won this time's hard to tell.
One thing that's nice,
If you don't get it right,
You rescue your sticks,
Grab two brand new picks,
And head back up to the top of the hill.



Copyright © June 2010
Kevin Mooney

kmm001
060510

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Charlie23 commented on Popsicle Stick Races

07-25-2010

This is so cool, Kevin! I can picture a youngster entertaining themself for hours with this... Your writing with rhythem is always so perfect!

ApaqRasgirl commented on Popsicle Stick Races

07-16-2010

that was just too cute, what a wonderful little tale of sweet memories of your youth. thanks for sharing. great write love asha

kmooney

07/16/2010

Thank you. Yes, I have many fond childhood memories such as these. You tend to nostalgic with age (lol). Life was certainly simpler back then...

rsalassi commented on Popsicle Stick Races

07-05-2010

This is a wonderful memory poem from the innocent days of childhood! It flows as naturally as the cascading rainwaters. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Excellent!

earthly commented on Popsicle Stick Races

06-15-2010

Kids today would never be entertained by simple games we used to play-nice write-I enjoyed-Namaste...Earthly

LeslieMay commented on Popsicle Stick Races

06-15-2010

This is excellent! I like the style of the poem. Childhood memories flow back to me. You really brought this piece to life.

If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) American poet.

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