The Ride

The Ride

She rolled to a stop and looked both ways,
She had decided she wanted to go on a ride today.
After making sure traffic had stopped as it should,
She rode on through and headed for the woods.

As she rode she was amazed at the sights to be seen,
Budding flowers, a deer she startled, a hive of bees.
The quiet and solitude of the woods was profound,
She saw beauty and peace as she looked all around.

This was her first time out in quite a few days
The winter had been harsh, so in bed she had laid.
But with spring came the start of life anew,
She knew this ride would shatter her rainy day blues

Without telling anyone she was going on the ride
She bundled up and left; she had to get outside
Now in the woods, she made a wrong turn,
And today she discovered another lesson to be learned

She rolled down a steep hill, and flipped over a log,
In the distance she heard, the baying of dogs
She was sure they knew she was gone from their sight,
They were looking for her, and find her they might

She was grateful they loved her as much as they did,
She thought she was an adult, but at ten, just a kid
She didn’t belong alone in the woods out there,
Especially while riding her powered wheelchair

She heard the dogs getting closer and closer,
And knew her free time was almost over
Being paralyzed meant she was constantly cared for,
But it was freedom she wanted, and so much more

Now found by her parents and safe back at home,
She told them of her journey, how she had longed to roam.
To the woods, the meadows, the park, the lake
But now was content to sit and contemplate

Her life, her family who loved her so much
They would take care of her, never lose touch
So she sat back contented and dreamed her dream,
Of walking once again, in her favorite stream.

Jim Dorrell
10/19/09