Mommy lifted her onto the horse’s back. Kallie’s hair
in tight pigtails matched the horse’s red-gold mane.
Kallie squirmed and squinched on the hard, plastic surface
and began to cry. Oh no, Sweetheart, this will be fun!
Kallie looked at her mother, tears welling up. The music began.
It was kind of like the music that Miss Ella played for music
class. Kallie’s tears faded away and then her teeth peeked out between
her lips. Her head bobbed, the music played faster, and Kallie
held on tighter. She turned around at the sounds made by the other
children on horses and camels and tigers, oh my! They were
louder than the music and Kallie threw back her head, looked
at the top of the carousel and made the same happy sounds
as everyone else. They came from a place way down inside
her tummy that jiggled up and down when she was ever so happy.
Oh my goodness – what a marvellous journey of young Kallie’s gradual adaptation to the carousel. The poem begins so cleverly – with focus on one small girl – but then opens and widens to include the other children sharing the same magical experience. Wonderful!
I remember riding a ferris wheel at age 25 and not wanting to open my eyes. This poem is a beautiful exposition of a childhood memory.