The Final Breakaway

Poetry

The Final Breakaway

Katie Frances Hartless

death, ekphrasis, existential, GloPoWrimo

“Calavera Cyclists” Jose Guadeloupe Posada

Death is not an exit,
it’s a starting point.
The opening stretch of
a cross-country bike event.

Brutal uphill climb,
our skeletons as cyclists
pedaling without helmets
through rough forest paths.

An after-life peloton, all of us
vying to be first to the prize:
what’s on the other side
of life’s finish line.

Skeletons can draft for days.
Stripped of religion and race,
all the same:

bare bones confused

and as the steep climb continues,
we forget the details
of our own face.

Until our frame is ready
to make it’s final breakaway.

GloPoWriMo#28 This was written for Late Night Poet’s May 5th show honoring the art of Jose Guadeloupe Posada.

13 responses to “The Final Breakaway”

abigfatcanofworms

Wow!! This is so thought provoking! Totally love it!!

LikeLiked by 2 people

Reply
1. K. Hartless
  
  Thank you. Those skeletal cyclist got me thinking. I appreciate these comments.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
Tom

Very striking piece! 🙂 Great memorable imagery throughout.

LikeLiked by 2 people

Reply
1. K. Hartless
  
  Thank you, Tom. I have the bike out front and the weather is making it possible to hit the trails again. Biking into the afterlife would be pure bliss
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
Dawn Minott

Very well crafted. Words and picture synonymous.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
1. K. Hartless
  
  Many thanks. I enjoyed imaging this after-life marathon.
  
  LikeLike
  
  Reply
johnlmalone

bone-rattling good 🙂 what a conceit: a skeleton peleton !

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
1. K. Hartless
  
  Many thanks. That was one of my favorite lines. I’m so glad you liked it as well. 😊
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply
  1. johnlmalone
    
    loved it 🙂
    
    LikeLike
GloPoWriMo#30 Death is a Pendulum Ride – Yard Sale of Thoughts

[…] GloPoWriMo#30: Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a palinode – a poem in which you retract a view or sentiment expressed in an earlier poem. Here is my earlier work: The Final Breakaway […]

LikeLike

Reply
GloPoWriMo#30B-We Are Seeds – Yard Sale of Thoughts

[…] GloPoWriMo#30: Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a palinode – a poem in which you retract a view or sentiment expressed in an earlier poem. I thought it would be fun to double down on this idea and retract not only my previous poem, but tonight’s poem as well. Tonight’s musings: Death is a Pendulum Ride and my earlier work: The Final Breakaway […]

LikeLike

Reply
Bridgette

I read this after I read “Death is a Pendulum Ride” and they really work so well together. The idea of exploring death as either this bare bones fast paced trip or simply as a quick slip away is very interesting.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
1. K. Hartless
  
  Thank you. My original piece was death as a bicycle race, which was also good fun, but this was more passive. More it’s happening to you, buckle in and hold on tight.
  
  LikeLiked by 1 person
  
  Reply