BEFORE I WAS BORN

My mother says
I was running running running
inside her before I was even born.
She could feel my legs whirling
thump-thump, thump-thump
and she says that when I was born
I came out with my legs whirling and racing
as if I would take off
right then, right there
and race straight out of her life.

She says it made her laugh
and it scared her, too,
because she'd only just met me
and didn't want me to race away
quite so soon.

She says I've been
running
running
running
ever since—or nearly ever since—

I ran before I crawled
I ran from dawn to dusk
And sometimes at night
she would see my legs still restless
as if I were running running running
in my sleep
through my dreams.

I tell her not to worry
that I will always come home
because that is where
I get my start.

FEARS AND LOVES

My teacher, Mr. Welling, asked us
to make a list of things we fear.

I did not want to do it
my mind would not go there

until Mr. Welling said that after
we made our list of things we fear
we would make a list of things we love.

Things I Fear:

I am afraid of war
of shootings and murders

of other people killing our people
because our people killed their people
because their people killed our people
on and on
until maybe nobody will be left.

I am afraid of dying
and of my family dying

of disappearing
and not knowing
that you have disappeared
or being left alone
with no one to love you.

Things I Love:

I love running running running

out in the air
smelling the trees and grass
feeling the wind on my face
and the ground on my feet.

I love drawing drawing drawing

because it feels like running
in your mind
and on a blank page
a picture appears
straight out of your mind
a phantom treasure.

I love laughing

and hearing people laugh
because the sound of it
is rolling and free and full.

I love many things

which sound too sappy
to write about.

Later, I hear others talking about
their fears and loves.

Some fear:
algebra and tests
essays and reports.

I am not good at these things
but I do not fear them
and I wonder if I am wrong.
I wonder if I am supposed to fear them.

Many of them love:
candy and television
weekends and sleeping.

I like these things
but I do not love them
and I wonder if I am supposed to love them

and I wonder if
I have done the assignment wrong

and when I look at my own list
of fears and loves
they seem too big

maybe not what the teacher had in mind

maybe not

but I am feeling stubborn
and so I do not erase them.

Text © Sharon Creech
Illustrations © Katherina Manolessou