Fall Off The Ladder

As I watch his frame
ascend each step,
climbing further upward,
I warn my adult son,
"Please, do not fall off the ladder."

There is a satisfying sound
to those words when
spoken all together:
fallofftheladder.
My poetic mind wanders
to zen-like thoughts, and the
possibilities of such a quirky word...

Fallofftheladder, (NC, IA, WI)
has a delightful ring to it,
Pop, 652, 2015 census.

Or perhaps it is an
equilibrium condition
brought on by riding
too many roller coasters.

I can imagine a menu
listing a large pizza -
extra toppings over extra toppings,
smothered with mounds of cheese,
selling out after each Friday
night football game.

But for now, I hold this
fifteen-rung monster
with my eyes closed,
pray that this kid
descends safely, and upright -
unlike the sizable broken branch
adorning the roof.
***