Vacant

There is a picture

of me, held by my big sister

it's mid-eighties, so her hair

is almost as big as cocaine

and AIDS

She's smiling

all braces and gangly

pimples on her face

posing prettily

I'm there,

on her barely pubescent hip

her acid washed

denim wrapped

arms around me,

in my jumper

and if this picture

were here, in front of you

you would see me,

          Empty.

          Already.

All of four years old

and lost.

See, in my eyes,

they're vacant, and the

slightly downturned mouth

not a frown, exactly

more like when you're sleeping

and your muscles relax

because you aren't there

you're dreaming

I'm not there

I'm dreaming, awake

night terrors, awake

this moment

this truth

of my childhood

is caught

captured forever

in this picture

and what bothers me most,

is almost two decades later

I see that same look

on my sister's

daughter's

face

 

 

Reviews

[Alford G. Harris]

a beautiful expression

[JiltedButterfly]

yes. that's a poem.

[[untitled]]

personally i believe this is a great piece. i also think the breaks come naturally and smoothly. the hook at the end continued to grip me. i see the vision in "Vacant 2", but still prefer the original version. super idea, images and poem!

[Emily B]

There is a picture of me,
in my big sister's arms
1980s and big hair
and bigger issues. (maybe, this line isn't right either)
She's smiling
braces and gangly and pimples
posing prettily.
I'm there,
on her barely pubescent hip
her acid washed denim wrapped
around me,
and if this picture were here,
in front of you
you would see me,

I sometimes tell people to listen to the words--out loud. It's an amazing story, I hear your voice behind it. It only needs a few tweaks here and there. Don't lose the voice.