among the wild buttercups
a broken umbrella lays open
underneath an unswung set
bent and rusted
shattered rolling rock bottles
hidden in coarse uneven grass
a few surviving tatters of Mexican pink
waterproofed polyester
an upside down plastic flamingo handle
the beak now a dull yellow gray
an unmovable teeter totter
stuck
one side up
one side down
a thick heavy board grown with splinters
there is blood
dried, unseen
on one of the ragged green horse headed edges
she used to
cut and swing
cut and swing
watching the blood
drip
her clearance rack designer shoes
dangle and swing
dangle and swing
she doesn’t want to die
soon
just eventually
or even let anyone know she was ever here
so eventually when she doesn’t die
yet
she hides in mojitos and house music
banging her head against the headboard
saving up her unspent nightmares
she wakes and wonders where she is
who is there
she believes in struggle
she counts
the dollars and cents she never has never needs
losing or leaving her umbrellas
somewhere along the way
at least
she can still wear the same shoes
classic, timeless,
bloodstained
Kimberley Diamond Bones