A day at the mall
My one escape
from
motherhood
Hair flying, finally free

I flip out a mirror
Five shoe-boxes slip
out of my arms
and fall
down the escalator

I snap closed my mirror
shrieking as I do
“Those cost me hard-earned money!”
I pursue them down the escalator

Forgetting, for an instant
that the escalator is going up

My high heels wobble on the brink
shoe-boxes tempting me down,

and I fall
up the escalator?
I didn't know you could,
but I did
and now I'm doing flips
that would've got me tens in the Olympics

Over and over, bashing, bumping
one perfect back flip, one dizzying headstand
one move that doesn’t even have a name
is this some sort of crazy game?

Upside down I contemplate
the possibilities of this fate
Right-side up I see
my shoes are right below me

Snatched one!
It tried to evade me, but I got it
Staring at my prize, I forgot it--
the bottom of the escalator

It came up quickly, that-
It was getting fun!
I had only just begun!
Oh, well.

I fell
Shoe-boxes in hand
Hair strewn like spaghetti
to the bottom of the escalator

A crowd gathers curiously
murmuring.
“Are you alright?” they coo

But all I can say
is
“Where is my mirror?
And where are my shoes?”

The ones on my feet, I mean
They are no longer on my feet, it seems
What has happened?
Where are they?
Why, three floors below, all that way

Now I don't complain being a mother
It is truly
blessed predictability
I wouldn't wish to be anything other

Especially not
a shopper
in the mall
on the escalator

***

But I'll still take the elevator.