Bull Rider
Perched atop the chute,
a bright, buttoned-down shirt
made him easy to spot,
his strength of shoulders a plume
on proud display for females
settled into the roost,
their broods beneath bleachers
watching the jinetes strike
from a standing position,
bravery and skill on display
as spurs tear into flesh,
maddening the explosion,
muscles responding,
contorting, writhing to rid
the wrangling rider,
now tossed like a rag doll
into the darkness of dirt,
lifeless, soiled, mimicking
that cherished toy - the kind
many children once held
tightly under their arms.
Author’s note: What drives someone to embrace danger? I suspect that some risk life and limb for fleeting glory. I’ve always been mesmerized by BASE jumpers, diving off structure only to parachute to safety. How do we reconcile the beauty and possible brutality of such moments? In Mexico, one adrenaline-filled activity is a Mexican rodeo called jaripeo, which I would argue is even more dangerous than American bull riding. All of these activities challenge us to reflect on the human spirit's relentless pursuit of thrill and the stirring realities that often accompany it.
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
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