“Tossa 2025” by John Piggott
Tossa 2025 – a poem by John Piggott
Boarding the Aircoach in Dalkey
Three and a half hours before the gate opens
Taking no chances
Relaxing in the bar beside the gate
Cruising up to it only thirty minutes
Late
I mean – what
Are the chances?
What
……..a Tossa!
In stark contrast
Everything at our hotel
Is organized and
As it should be
Everyone’s in bed (Thank God!)
But two hours later we’ll be
At breakfast meeting our public
Cringeing
As they applaud
The bike is
salvation
That steep climb out of town
serving as welcome
tribulation
Cresting it I already feel
forgetting
setting
in
Relax!
And let the holiday
Begin.
Wednesday will be a
down day
the body shutting down
the rain coming down
and three amigos headed
downtown
to blow off some cobwebs
and some steam
It turns out to be
such a memorable occasion
So memorable
I’ve forgotten most of it.
But there’s no shortage of
Witnesses filling in the gaps
Perhaps a hundred miles on the bike
will be a good way to get rid of
a hangover?
Well – it was cure or
Collapse
I’m here to tell the tale
Ribbons of manicured tarmac
take the strain
out of the climbs
and out of us
setting up soothing rhythms
in the brain
These downhills
are the upsides
of the climbs
a sublime little metaphor
for this life we’re here to celebrate
through the incomparable medium
of the bicycle
alas! This time
in the stinging absence
of our celebrant in chief
R.I.P. Christy.
And thank you again
For so many of these wonderful days.
John Piggott
