Meditation for a Bicyclist – a poem by Sara Letourneau

Meditation for a Bicyclist


May your trail be long, open, and clear,
no matter if it’s made of earth or asphalt.

May your weather be cool and dry,
with the wind at your back, beckoning you forward.

May the air you breathe smell ripe with life—
early fall sky and sunlight, sparkling joy and resolve.

And should the pavement be cracked or breached by tree roots,
may you coast over them as if they are no hindrance.

And should your tires slip
and cause you to fall,

may you remember that you can always stand up,
get back on your bike, and continue onward.

May you always carry a knowing of the road forward
and your route back, and yet

may you always dare to veer off-path
into the forest undergrowth and make your own way.

May your legs muscles burn and hum, gifting you 
the momentum to push onward, mile after mile.

May there be a rushing of your heart, a melding
of hands and handlebars, feet and pedals,

until you and your machine are one, racing ahead
with spirit as teammate and freedom as destination.

May you always delight
in the journey

Sara Letourneau is a poet as well as the book coach, editor, and writing workshop instructor at Heart of the Story Editorial & Coaching Services. Her poetry has received first place in the Blue Institute’s Words on Water contest and has appeared in Full Mood Mag, Living Crue, Arlington Literary Journal, Mass Poetry’s Poem of the Moment and Hard Work of Hope, Muddy River Poetry Review, Soul-Lit, Amethyst Review, and Constellations, among others. Her manuscript for her first full-length poetry collection is on submission. You can learn more about working with Sara and read more of her work at https://heartofthestoryeditorial.com/.