Lifelines

See my hand?

Some days it looks three times

too big to ever linger on the wire fence,

hide from Mrs. Kurtz' growling dog

or press its palm against the squares

and wonder at the pattern. Diamonds

lined my skin, gold pieces weighted

in my mouth tasted of copper,

iron leavings in the dirt.

 

Chickie's Machine Shop is gone, gone,

my hand three times too big to fit

a child's mitten, play with buttons,

ever linger in a forest of brocade,

wool and the gray whorls of lambskin

sleeves I rubbed my cheek against.

 

Last night I dreamed again

of library mornings in the children's room,

the open window, the tree that whispered,

cinnamon hard candy in a dish beside

the stack of yellow cards.

Reviews

[Travis Lawrence]

Awesome images, it's very mineral. Is that a Heart Of Darkness reference I see? "Mistah Kurtz---he dead." I love Joseph Conrad.

Have a nice day!

[Tim McGovern]

As always when you write about your childhood I feel like I was there.
Beautiful
I remember the children's room of our library too, small chairs and tables and once in a while, the librarian would have to go " up stairs" to the grown up part to get a book for you.

Wonderful to see you here Shemeh.

Namaste'
Tim

[Yaooooooo]

Very well written.
Feel free to send me a request when ever you like...
Thanks for sharing...
One!