Ode to Legs: A Poem By Lauren Fleshman
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The baby's rolls and dimples smile
Upon her juicy thighs.
Will she know their power
As the culture tells her lies?
Will she pinch them in the mirror
And wish a different size?
The strength of their squeeze,
The knobs of the knees,
The kicking them any which way that they please.
She's got legs.
She knows how to use them.
She takes them to the mountains
Feels the call of open spaces.
Will she let them carry her
To unexpected places?
Will she learn to love them
For their movement and their stasis?
The freckles and scars,
The prickles of hair,
The heat generated from slicing through air.
She's got legs.
She knows how to use them.
Will she strut up to the line,
And stand with her feet planted?
Will she jiggle them to feel alive,
Not taking them for granted?
Will she trust their trained resolve
Will rise to what's demanded?
The curve of the thigh,
The edge of the shin,
The strength and the softness
That shivers the skin.
She's got legs.
She knows how to use them.
Join us this week in celebrating the strength, beauty, and power of legs - and the places they take us. Please share your own #OdeToLegs (six words, six sentences or lines - it’s up to you!) this week on any and all social media platforms, and we’ll be reading and sharing along.
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