Unleash The Child Within Poem by Jim Yerman

We were in line to enter an RV show in Tampa
when I suddenly became aware
that of all those standing in line with us…
we were the youngest ones there.

But as the line slowly moved ahead
and I watched people file in through the doors…
everyone seemed a little younger
than they were a few minutes before.

Smiles lit up their faces…
they strutted with a new rhythm and beat
They seemed to have a little more energy…
and walked a little lighter on their feet.

And we felt too…

Flitting from camper to camper
on our mission to research and explore
we felt less like 65 year olds…
and more like kids in a candy store.

Everywhere we turned there were campers…
campers of every variety and type
and all around us was music and singing…
why they even had Scottish bagpipes!

The three of us in our group ran from one camper to the next…
we knew pacing ourselves was the key…
even though we saw so many campers…
there were so many more to see.

We stopped for lunch to eat some corn dogs
each displaying our own corn dog eating technique
and just like when we were children…
a little mustard remained on our cheeks.

We spotted a new vintage camper
and for a moment time seemed to move slow
as we sat inside her in silence…
imagining the places we'd go.

As I watched the three of us walking to our car…
I had to smile for I had no doubt
that no matter how much older we grow every day…
there's a child inside us who's itching to get out…

And I thought perhaps we should let them out more often
let them loose…take them out for a spin…
and I wondered how much younger we'd all be
If we unleashed more often…our child within.