Great Kills Review

Winter 2005 – Volume I, issue 2

Michele A. Scirocco

The Girl Across The Street

Across the street

Little girl

Growing up

Just like me

But not-

Beaten

Bruised

Broken

Sitting

On her stoop

Each day

Even in winter

Until night

Spills over the city

She goes inside

Where

His dirty shoes

Stain

The carpet

Where

His filthy breath

Washes

Over her

Tainting

Morning

Washes away the darkness

And

Colors of day

Bleach the pain

Of night

She wears

Pink

Lip gloss

Her mouth

Full of braces

My mom tells me

Stay away

I don’t even know

Her name

Just the sound of her voice

In the night

Mason Jar

Amber flashes

Fireflies dancing

Gathering at dusk

My childhood

Remembered

In a mason jar

Of nights

Waiting

For the sky to alight

Magic and innocence

Of youth

Was mine

Glass shattered

Innocence gone

About the Author

Michele A. Scirocco lives in Weehawken, NJ and teaches Creative Writing at NJCU. Several of her poems have been published both on-line and in print journals, including the upcoming print issue of Sparks Magazine. She is currently working on a literary fiction novel and a book of her poetry. You can contact Michele at michelescirocco@hotmail.com

“The Girl Across The Street” © 2005 by Michele A. Scirocco

“Mason Jar” © 2005 by Michele A. Scirocco

*All rights reserved by the author – no work may be reprinted without the express consent of its author.

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