Lessie, Eloise Greenfield

When my friend Lessie runs she runs so fast

I can hardly see her feet touch the ground

She runs faster than a leaf flies

She pushes her knees up and down, up and down

She closes her hands and swings her arms

She opens her mouth and tastes the wind

Her coat flies out behind her

When Lessie runs she runs so fast that

Sometimes she falls down

But she gets right up and brushes her knees

And runs again as fast as she can

Past red houses

and parked cars

and sleeping dogs

and cartwheeling girls

and wrestling boys

and Mr. Taylor’s record store

All the way to her corner

To meet her mama