My hands grasp it
rough and coarse
prickling against my fingers
I test its strength
tugging hard
yanking it this way and that
Tentatively, I test my weight
Will it bear me?
Will it hold me up?
Will it carry me
across the chasms
over the ridges
through thundering rivers?
I examine it carefully
searching for flaws
weaknesses in its entwined strands
Winding upon itself
enwrapping my fingers
enveloping my hand
I trust it
swinging over the unknown
over the pit of my insecurities
It gouges my hands
rubs me raw and blistered
as I swing
It bears me
holds me
carries me
even as it hurts me
I don’t let go
and the pain lessens
my feet touch the ground
I unwind it from my hand
my shaking fingers
smoothing against its heat
I untie it
bind it loosely around me
feel its weight
Its rough and coarse hairs
tickle my cheek
and I smile
in safety
in security
in satisfaction
Copyright 1995 Elizabeth Abrams Chapman
Many of my poems originated with classroom assignments given to my students. I wrote this poem as "homework" when I instructed my students to create a poem in which rope was used as a metaphor, simile, or symbol. As a teacher of writing, I always completed the homework I assigned. First, it gave me better judgement on the difficulty of the assignment. More importantly, I always participated in the class sharing to model my own writing.
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