Suicide Memorial

.
…from an environment.............................
of unpainted ...bleached..............
blue-grey clapboard ...Pahn
takes the short-cut down
a dirt road at dusk
through private property .....He knows
there are

two gates .....The first........................
will be open ...and the second
.....................................will be locked

He is momentarily confident

Beyond the first gate
his car glides on soft .....residential ...dirt
along a fence ...in a wild garden
of pines and shrubs ...past the old woman’s house
.......set deep in the vegetation... showing only
...................its wood and dark .....divided
.....................................................windows

Coming to the second gate ...he thinks
..................................he has the combination
...........................................and leaves his car
but as he leans down...........
....................toward the wood and wire
a red and white..........
...........................sheriff’s ride
..............................stops behind

The sheriff gets out..........................
and pulls phone cord.........
...........from beneath Pahn’s bumper
....................and quickly ...ties the hood open
...................................................in anger
explaining as he calms..............

“The old woman’s daughter
pestered her to death”

and Pahn responds....................

“What has that got to do
with me?”

The sheriff walks with Pahn
back up the road .....then turns around
and gesturing
at the rails on the fence .......carved for its length
...........................................with crowded names
sadly sighs...................

“So many suicides”

taking chalk he inscribes
..................something illegible
...........................................on the rail

another name


.......................and Pahn wonders
................................by the damp
..................................................littoral (literal?) fringe
.........................................what he has done
.

No comments:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


Some of these poems originally appeared in the following publications

Avocet
Dream International Quarterly
mojo risin'
The Muse Apprentice Guild (The MAG)
Transfer

My Photos

www.flickr.com
brian dean bollman's photos More of brian dean bollman's photos