The Abecedarian’s Abecedarian (46)

All of us here in the room
but not all of us here yet, I think
choosing to be present now as we write
dropping down
entering in
feeling the balls of my feet on the cold floor
grounding myself on the page
hearing other people’s pens scratching, soft hands sliding across paper.
I smile as I write
jubilant
knowing
loving being in a room together writing.
My mind wanders
not easy, this first abecedarian, this moving
on to the next letter with every line
prevents my flow.
Quieter in the room now
relishing this
stilted but still fun
tongue pressed against the roof of my mouth, concentrating
under my elbows
varnished
warm wood
X marks the spot.
You are here now, too
zero to stillness, to center, in twenty-six lines.

[Editor’s note: I was introduced to the concept of the abecedarian in my Monday night writing workshop. This was my first try during the workshop on February 6th. It was fun to do. It fascinates and intrigues me how something so simple can shake us up, break the lines of the box. I like it. At home I looked up the word, and I see it also means “a person who is just learning; a novice.” Hence, the title for my first abecedarian.]