LJI Week 10: Turning 12, on Bumper Cars

[alycewilson]

This is my entry for LJ Idol. The topic this week is "craic," an Irish term which means "an enjoyable social activity, a good time; great company and lively conversation."

KFP on a bumper car, looking aglow with joy

Turning 12, on Bumper Cars

Spinning blissfully, the five boys
each turn inward. As if with one mind,
they stare at one another in silent
communion. Their elongated legs
crooked to reach the pedals, they gaze
at one another. Paused,
for just this moment --

then someone releases a primal
yawp. They whirl furiously onward,
bumping collegially, almost
apologetically, as they
expand ever outward.

---

In honor of KFP, who turned 12 this week, having a rip-roaring good time with friends at an indoor fun center.

Comments

[d0gs.livejournal.com]

This is great! I love how you capture the fun and atmosphere here so cleverly!

[alycewilson]

Thanks! I thought about writing about the whole party, but then I realized I could say everything I wanted to eith just that moment.

[bleodswean]

Happy belated!!! That picture totally captures JOY and the poem is just fantastically well done! What a fun idea for this week's response!

[ofearthandstars]

Awh, yay for KFP! Bummer cars with my boys were the best, and this took me right back to that!

[adoptedwriter]

Fun times! Now I want to go ride rides!

[roina_arwen]

I love the term “primal yawp,” lol!

[erulissedances]

What fun. I always loved playing in the bumper cars (although mine were certainly not as futuristic as these appear to be).

- Erulisse (one L)

[static_abyss]

Beautiful! I especially love the use of "elongated" and "expand ever outward." That created a very beautiful image of growth. Lovely poem!

[drippedonpaper]

Just brilliant! I love your word choices. Great precise words. It's really true that bumper cars "expand outward."

Keep writing!!

[marlawentmad]

This was a sweet crystallized moment.

[banana_galaxy]

Oh my goodness, look how big KFP has grown! I shouldn't be surprised, my youngest is almost 12 as well, and it's not like I don't see pictures on FB. But still... I guess the context is different seeing him enjoy himself here.

How does it feel knowing he's only a year away from being a teenager now?

[dadi]

Perfect :)

[alycewilson]

Thank you so much! As soon as I read the topic, I thought about my son and his friends. This moment was so amazing, because for a second, it felt like they were reading each other's minds. Without communicating verbally, they all did exactly the same thing and then seemed to find it as amazing and amusing as I did!

[alycewilson]

He truly enjoyed himself. You'd never know that the first choice had been to ride the gasoline-powered Go-karts. Unfortunately, that didn't work out, because one of the boys was too short to ride with the rest of them, and we all agreed that wouldn't be very fun!

[alycewilson]

This summer may be a good time to do it! We went to an amusement park this summer and had a blast.

[alycewilson]

Thanks! Apologies to Allen Ginsberg. :)

[alycewilson]

These are very forward-thinking bumper cars. When they hit each other, it's a very gentle hit. Therefore, even smaller children can ride them without being traumatized. (The first time KFP rode on regular bumper cars, the rider operator had to stop it and let him off because he was crying after having been hit by another car a couple times).

[alycewilson]

Thanks! You got what I was trying to capture: this moment of pre-teenage years when they're hovering between childhood and teenage years.

[alycewilson]

Thanks! I'm happy you could picture it. They certain did seem to be in a repeating pattern of compressing and expanding, which is a lot like how my son has always grown. He seems to get denser in his body and then elongate and stretch higher and higher.

[alycewilson]

Thanks so much! I'd considered writing about more of the day but realized this moment told all I wanted to tell.

[alycewilson]

Shocking! His voice is even beginning to deepen, and one of his friends is starting to grow a moustache!

[alycewilson]

Thank you so much!

[banana_galaxy]

Oh my gosh, they seem like they should still be too young for that!

[alycewilson]

I know, right?