Today’s Day 8 Poetry Pub Poem a Day Challenge prompt is “Equinox.” In this poem I talk about my experience with a speed wobble while descending on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

These men steadied me early on ministry. Their companionship and camaraderie continues to bear fruit in my life, especially in gratitude.

You may listen to me read the poem via the player below.

There is nothing like the equinox
Of bombing the Parkway, tucked tight, and locked—
Tucked in, rolling straight and true
In the line, on the beat, in the groove,
Those five miles downhill from Aho to Bamboo 
Going 48 (mph) in the straightaway 
Wind rushing past on
A glorious day!

By the time I reached the Bamboo ridge
Over Goshen Creek at George Hays bridge,
The equinox of rolling true
Was shot,
And I was in deep dew.

Somewhere before that sweeping turn
The thrilling rush of descent had burned
Off and turned into a little shimmy, 
The front wheel weaved, went
Side to side swimmy.

The swimmy got worse, my bike got got, 
All sigodlin fast, all weavey, flop bot
I didn’t know what in, but 
I knew I was caught.

And there alone, I learned a big learn
50 feet over, on that bridge in a turn,
How equinox can suddenly turn
A sporty, rolling shimmy 
Into a colly-wobbled, deadly gimmie,
Full on wacky, wheel-weavin,
Tank slappin, heavin, 
Speed wobble.

Do you know the sensation you get
When you think you’re in control and yet
You realize the ride your riding
Is really riding you?
You hold on tight for your dear life, 
You try and try with all your might
To fix what’s wobbled wrong?

Though you try, though you think you can,
You can’t stabilize with just two hands
To steady your world’s gyration.
Dampen the wobbled vibration
That threatens to
Shake you to pieces.

No pair of docs can bring
The balanced, rolling equinox.
A third is what you need:
To touch the top tube
With your knee,
Or the touch of another’s hand
To dampen confusion, steady you
With grace and love
And true.

© Randall Edwards 2023