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I Walk the One Hour

By: Kayleigh Alwill

About The Poem

The first lockdown, when everything stopped, I lived for my one hour walk a day.
Living in a flat, in a small space, it was hard.
I love being outside and I remember the one hour of outdoor exercise we were allowed was sacred to me.

 

The Poem

I walk the one hour,

past rainbow houses and closed shops.

I walk the one hour,

past supermarket queues and cafés that will never reopen.

I walk the one hour,

seeking out nature, how long have I got?

I walk the one hour,

I do laps of a park along with others,

it’s yard time for us all.

We walk the one hour,

avoiding each other, just in case, but a knowing smile we share.

Then times up.

I walk back,

past boarded up windows and empty shelves.

I walk back,

past parked cars and quiet playgrounds.

I walk back,

back to confinement, back to safety, back to a flat.

I look out of the window and wait for tomorrow.

Tomorrow when I can swallow the air,

carry the sun,

see the restless quiet.

Tomorrow, when I can walk the one hour.

 

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