“Switching Gears” by Karen Grose

my brother is off to school,

backpack over a shoulder

eyes glued to the phone in hand

white buds dangling from his ears.

he doesn’t turn when I wave,

his head bobs

and the only sound on the street

are his big floppy feet

slapping the pavement.

as he approaches corner

to cross the road alone,

my heart beats hard and fast.

i lean forward

to catch

grey hair poking from under a cap

jaw set, determined

all his fifty-five years.

it occurs to me

at 8:14 am,

he is two years younger,

twenty score stronger,

ten times braver,

than I will ever be.

Karen Grose is a writer from Toronto, Canada. Her first novel, The Dime Box, was selected by Amnesty International for its 2021 book club to represent women’s issues. She has recently begun to write poetry. Switching Gears honours those in the process of retraining and reschooling, as they follow new paths and dreams.