Up and down

Tap-tap

Huuhh—sheeww

The route is routine

But each day feels new

Under the crepe myrtles

Dodging spider webs

Clandestine hurdles

I pump my arms, propel my legs

The grass holds tones of fall

Freshly cut

I stall

The pelicans soar and the seagulls huddle

The sky’s pink and orange, yellow too

The most beautiful hue

The cars shuttle

I watch the people in them

I don’t envy

Small waves ripple under the bridge

I’m headed downhill, the best of it

Muscles loose

And heart revived

It’s the truth:

The morning run keeps me alive