Surfing in Five Short Lessons
This month’s writing prompt was… “If I Long to Surf, I Can Read Magazines, Watch People Surfing, Even Find A Surf Teacher Who Has Surfed, But I can’t Learn to Surf Unless I Get in the Water”
For some reason, or no reason, this made me think of the poem ‘Autobiography in Five Short Chapters’ by Portia Nelson, and I decided to use it as a muse/template for my writing.
Here is the original by Portia Nelson. Mine will be after it.
I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place
but, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V
I walk down another street.
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Surfing in Five Short Lessons by Leigh A.
I
I paddle out on my surfboard
There is a gigantic wave on the horizon
I am engulfed.
I am being tossed about…I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes me forever to find my way back to shore.
II
I paddle out on the same beach
There is a gigantic wave on the horizon
I turn my back to it and pretend it isn’t there.
I am engulfed. Again.
I can’t believe it did this to me. Again.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes a long time to find my way back to shore.
III
I paddle out on the same beach
There is a gigantic wave on the horizon.
I see it there.
I am engulfed. This feels familiar.
My eyes stay open.
It is my fault.
I beeline straight for shore.
IV
I paddle out on the same beach.
There is a huge wave on the horizon.
I paddle to the periphery where the swell is not quite as large.
V
I go to Baby Beach.
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