Chicago Jump Poem by Shelly Stevens

In the late sun the girls jump rope
Not the sedate ‘I like coffee.
I like tea.' Rhyme that we sang
So off key as children

"A.B.C._
Hit it! _
Thats the way uh huh uh huh
I like it uh huh uh huh_"

But a fast-paced, quick-roped
Jump making the heart pound
And a quiet observer smile
At the competitive nature of the game

"A.B.C._
Hit it! _
Thats the way uh huh uh huh
I like it uh huh uh huh_"

Two ropes swung on the same axis
But the revolutions in opposition
To one another
No gentle rope jumping this

"Peace punch
Captain Crunch_
Break a wall waterfalls,
Girl you think you know it all"

The cadence of the scrape on concrete
Gives credence to the speed of the ropes
Fast to let the jumper in
And perhaps show a few moves

"You dont
I do
So, poof
With the attitude"

Then the arch of the ropes flatten
The dark sculpted arms of the girls
Quicken and the jumper crouches
Low so the rope doesn't clip her head.

"Wait, come back,
You need a tic tac
Not a tic not a tac
But the whole six pack"

The catcalls and good-natured insults fly
As the furious speed increases
"You got no game, girl.'
"What you jumpin' like your mama."

"Yo mamma,
Yo daddy,
Your bald
Headed granny"

The combat continues until feet falter
And ropes become entangled
And at that moment the sheer joy of the girls
Is transferred across the playground to
A park bench and I laugh so loud

"She 99
She thinks shes fine, _
She going out
With frankenstein_"

Silence then Nothing but street sounds
I rise from the bench and smile at the girls
I pick up my brief case and turn
A little embarrassed at having been caught spying

"Go granny
Go go, _
Go granny
Wooooo"

I take the first step towards home
The sun just touching the Earth in the west
But a girl's voice stops me
"Hey lady, You wanna jump? "