Pioneer

Although the world is large,
It is a little smaller now
More intimate
Delicate as your hands
Beyond my backyard on Michigan Street
Past the metal bars that protected me
From life beyond the alley
I still cling to that which is familiar
When I was little I would twirl on this rusty bar dreaming of being an actress
I wasn't afraid
Even when Jimmy ' s ball pummeled into
My left eye, I persevered
Kept going
Amidst the blood
The fear
The stitches
And the pain
Today I reach out
Still a timid soul
Though grounded in your spirit
Looking forward to nursing
My calloused hands
And stepping out into the Arizona sun.