the yoga class

I decide to join a yoga class
to stretch
and get ready for the new year.

limber up.

I feel like I need to be more flexible,
both in body
and mind.

I have a hard time though with finding
the right outfit to wear.
the yoga pants I bought
are so tight, but feel kind of
nice
in a strange sort of way. I feel
like spider man.

red was never my color, but this will
have to do. it was the only one
in my size.

i like my instructor, Lulubelle.
she used to work
at the coffee shop around the block
but now
teaches yoga full time.

as the class progresses,
we do the praying mantis,
and the other stuff like the shovel,
I mean the plow, but then

she puts her foot over her
head and around her neck
while standing there and asks
us to do that.

i touch my toes instead,
then do some windmills with
my arms out and hope
that's okay.
hey, she yells out to me.
what are you doing?

i'm not ready for that pose,
i tell her. in fact i don't know
if i'll ever be able to put my
foot around my head.

the last time i did that i was
still in my mother's belly,
not ready to be born.

she shakes her head and tells me
to go stand in the corner, but
on my head,
which i do with the help
of three people holding me up.