the boy by the cemetary
by markk
Posted to Action Poetry on 2001-08-25 21:22:00
i train my 35 mm on the wrought iron fence
that surrounds the old cemetary, & as i
bring it into focus, with a line of crooked
tipping gravestones faded behind it, i hear
a voice ask what are you doing? i turn around
& there’s a boy standing where seconds ago
there was no one, 10, or 12, hispanic, grey shirt,
holding a new bike, i ask what? he repeats
again: what are you doing? not a threat, but an
inquiry made out of curiosity. i answer i’m taking
pictures. oh, he says, & i turn around & walk up
the sidewalk & as i do i am overcome by the thought
that if i turn around that boy won’t be there. it’s
no more than 10 seconds later, & sure enough, he’s
gone. vanished. i look all directions & there’s nothing.
no one. who was the boy by the cemetary & where
did he vanish so fast? if he was ever there at all.
(markk is madtolive@hotmail.com & www.deepcleveland.com)