I Used to Go For Walks

National Poetry Month, 2020

I Used to Go For Walks

From my apartment in Oakland

to the pretend valley of Schenley Park

an oasis in the midst of the city,

Pittsburgh.

Sunny spring, sunny summer, sunny days.

Music on top my ears.

I used to go for walks

to exercise, to workout, to lose weight-

TV and Magazines and Movies and Celebrities and some Family

whispered for me to lose.

Most of all,

I used to go for walks for

myself.

Because

I knew I had to get their words and their stares and their smart remarks

out of my head.

From my apartment on the Northside

to the trail along the river

I could travel by foot.

Past Heinz field, or

to the almost next town over

where a quiet path beside the train tracks yelled

no one can see/ anything can happen/ turn around before it’s too late.

Today, I go for walks

even though the news and governor warn

stay at home. SAFER AT HOME.

Today, I go for walks

because my walks from Pittsburgh are programmed in my bones,

programmed between muscle and skin to get up, move, get going

not always to lose weight.

Most of all, I go for walks

today

because the whispers and yells of my mind warn of

tomorrow.

The oasis now in my head,

quiet paths now every quiet sidewalk.

Everyone else is SAFER AT HOME.

I will continue to go for walks

from my apartment in this part of town of old

to pretend

this sunny spring, almost sunny summer, sunny day

is almost normal.

I go for walks.