First Ride

Colors blur around me like a shifting kaleidoscope,
Stuck between two set designs.

My head whips forward and back,
I am a rag doll in the hands of centripetal motion.

My stomach is being invaded by butterflies,
As if there is a slice of watermelon up for the taking.

My knuckles are white with fear,
It was a long away down,

But my shrill laughter,
Was enough to convince myself I was actually having fun.

Slowly, my body moves away from the outer edges
And inches toward the center again.

I sit, breathing in deeply and smiling like a fool,
“Let’s go again!” A small voice says on the side of me.

I turn to face a little girl nearly identical to myself,
A smile ripping the edges of her lips.

I had forgotten she was even here.