Round and Round

Round and round the roller rink
skaters pass me in a blink.
I hug the rail along the wall
skidding forward—please don’t fall!
Sliding, hope that no one sees
my slipping feet, my wobbly knees.
Perhaps these roller skates don’t fit.
Or it’s me—should I just quit?

But just when I am on the brink
of fleeing from this roller rink,
a skater gliding like a pro
takes my arm and says, “Let’s go!”
Round and round the rink we roll
and step by step I gain control.
Sure I fall, but that’s OK,
because my fears, too, fall away.

Soon I’m skating round with ease
till I spy some wobbly knees:
a newbie clutching to the rail
scared to fall, scared to fail.
I lend a hand, I say, “Let’s go!”
and show them everything I know.
Round and round, the more I think
we all belong here in the rink.