Winter at the Model Boat Pond
Once a gangly tangle, of legs not well controlled,
A skinny frame and fuzzy puppy face,
Eager to explore, not wise, too bold,
With joyful bounce I leapt onto thin ice...
A nasty shock ensued, the ice gave way,
The model boat pond water chilled my core,
I panicked, and my limbs would not obey
My frozen brain, I could not reach the shore.
Gail to the rescue! Her long arms
Reached out and grabbed me firmly round the trunk
And saved me from more self-inflicted harm,
And hard I learned the dangers of a winter dunk.
So ten years on, and sensibly attired,
My Nordic sweater proof against the chill,
I calmly pose beside the frozen pond, wisdom acquired.
Of reckless youthful capers, I have had my fill!
