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In Memory of Angel Coronel

Third Place: Winter 2019 Writing Contest


You were quiet, grim expression,

Leader who spoke little and precisely.

Friend of cyclists!

They took their bikes to you

For a repair and, you did it like a

Master would.

And you couldn’t say “no,” that you

Wouldn’t do them a favor, because

Sometimes you wouldn’t charge.


You had friends, some always

Surrounded you under the shadows

Of a Tala tree and a Paradise.

They’re who will talk about you;

They’re who will praise you

For each morning and evening shared

And you sitting down on the threshold

Of your front door.

“Why on that threshold?” – I wondered.

Alone, there you were with the bikes

And it was night already.


You were father, brother, friend, husband,

Neighbor of the good neighbor

Woman’s,

Like an oasis for the desert traveler.

You knew what people were asking

About,

Who would decipher your captivating

Loneliness?


Today your kind soul is saying goodbye;

We are left mute and lonely

In front of the threshold.

The shadows of the Tala

And the Paradise

Are going away with you!

Categories: Cycling Stories
Derek Lakin: Derek has more than two decades of experience as a cyclist, and is the founder of TreadBikely. He currently travels full-time with his family via RV, enjoying the country's best biking destinations. A secular Buddhist, Derek frequently explores the intersection of cycling, mindfulness, and compassion in his writing. #rolloutblissout

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