Stick Figure
by Katherine Jamison

 

Hot Stick figure

winner of genetic

lottery with bird arms

 

Striped and desired

dealt a good hand

 

Eastern European

accent and fine

bone structure

 

Got what this 

world wants

Fragile Beauty

 

An artist friend of mine

asked me to sit for him

 

Said I had an interesting

face, classic lines

 

Whatever the hell that means

 

Said he hated portraits,

boring unimaginative crap 

 

Hot Stick Figure’s got a

better face. Perhaps, I

should give him a call

 

Got an interesting face

for ya

 

Johnson Park

Picking my way through

goose shit in search of

peace

 

Weeds brush ankles in

short step, ankle turns

out

 

Cool in shade of

over grown weeds

brackish water and

copper penny

 

Crew team finds bodies

Here, the water’s still

tidal. They get caught

when the tide shifts

 

On the banks of the old

Raritan where bodies

expose themselves

 

I sit with summer breeze

and train whistle thinking

of  all I’ve missed

 

 

Ray St.

Unnamed

            populate

                        downbeat

                                    Waltz

 

No fine dress

            Or

      Partners 

 

Casual

            Single

                        Waltz

 

                                                                                    Solos

                                                                                    Spin

                                                                        concrete 

                                                                                     bars

 

Plastic

            Crystal

                        Constellations

 

                                                                                    Shine above

                                                                                    Strobe

                                                                                                dance floor

 

Rhythm escapes

 

                                    Too many steps

 

                                                                                    Hatch frees

                                                                                    lame night

 

                                                                                                                        Leather stroll

                                                                                                                        Home

 

            Never been

                                    A dancer

 

KATHERINE JAMISON is a Rutgers College student majoring in English. She hails from Edison, NJ, and can usually be found somewhere in the New York City metro area.

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