aroundtown poem # 7
I am a legend in this town at least to the kids
on the schoolyard next door
every year some grimy
gap-toothed
seven-year-old marches bravely
to the fence to inform me that
everybody says I am a witch
this fall there’s been an exponential leap
with safety in numbers
a group approaches to tell me
I murdered my husband
there was blood on my porch
how can I murder my husband
I say
when I haven’t any husband the kids stand bemused
until one speaks up he says
then who did you murder
© Jacqueline Jackson 2005
This article appears in Oct 27 – Nov 2, 2005.
