The Accident

Poem for the 2025 Poetry Marathon Hour 1

A sunny day, a day at college, both boring and filled with laughter

Friends coming and going to classes

Lunch eventually rolls around, like many I avoided the cafeteria

Instead, I got a ride home with a friend



The friend was not what he was pretending to be

A fraud, wolf in sheep's clothing

Wanton recklessness was his preference, little did I know

His true intentions



If only I hadn’t made that decision, stayed with my friends

If only I wasn't so trusting

But, we live and learn.... sometimes

This friend was out to impress, thinking driving fast was impressive



It was an uncomfortable decision

I had no idea it would change course of my life

But then who would, it was only lunch

Glad to finally be going back to college





I vowed to myself never again, stay with my friend group

Life would be so much easier if I heeded my instincts

I had no idea I was having T-bone for lunch

But not the steak kind



We crashed opposite my home, my desperate need to get my mother’s attention as she arrived home

My stupidity overwhelmed by pain, the bricks in front of me

Terror chilled my body; I had to get out



I crawled and squeezed,

Eventually landing on the concrete paving

People rushing by, ordering me to not move

Me calling to my mother



Decision already made by a cruel fate,

To teach me something college could not

“She’ll never walk again’ the ER said

I had no idea



If only I’d stayed at college, life would be so different

Stubborn, I walked and danced my way through life

Unaware of what cruel fate had in store for me

When I started to lose my legs

I learnt my lesson late in life

If I had stayed, my life would be changed forever

For the better

Instead, fate took its sweet time



Striking me down when I least expected

Reminding me of that fateful day

Bitter and yet grateful

I had beaten it so long



Fate comes for us all

No matter when or where

It teases us

Only to snatch everything away.