I was reading Amanda’ Baker’s post on IG and immediately some thoughts flowed into my mind, so I jotted them down and sent them to her. This is another “after”, meaning that the poem came after reading someone else’s and is directly inspired by a line(s) in their poem.

Here is her post:

Here is my after:

A Thousand Ways to Skip (After Amanda Baker)

He said he’d teach me a thousand ways to skip,
as he giggled and ran off the field.
Four years old and wandering aimlessly,
he flapped his arms like wings as he flew from one side to the next.
Giggling, he began to prance in front of me,
trolloping from side to side,
as my mind began to dance.

“Oh the ways I’d skip…”

Skip work and head to the ball field.
Skip breakfast and head toward the park.
Skip the call and head to the beach.
Skip the news and listen to music.
Skip the tough conversation and go for what feels best.
Skip the anger and go straight to forgiveness.
Skip the part where I was broken and battered and go straight to part where I was treated like a Queen.
Skip the years we spent trying and head right for the ones after it was over.
Skip the heartache and go right to the growth.
Skip the part where I allowed everyone in, and go straight to the part where I remembered to guard my heart.
Skip the sadness and go right to the celebration.
Skip that part where I overthink everything, and go straight to the part where I realize:

If I skipped it all, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

He smiles as he leaps into my arms,
“You’re walking so slow. Did you forget to skip?”

~Shell Vera (2021)

Enjoy some more poetry here…