Thursday, October 14, 2021

Latch and Key

I still have the doorknob for the daisy

attic bedroom of my home at age twelve.

I really craved a skeleton key—

stealing the cellar key takes more resolve.

I’d probably be haunted by Southern ghosts—

we were part of the Underground Railroad.

The term “we” is used loosely by most.

These days abolition is such a fad.

I found it the other day—the knob I mean—

deep in a box of trinkets and make-up—

held the cool iron in my palm again

until I felt a poke and let it drop—

THUNK!—on the wooden floor, a fatal sound—

heard a laugh from the cellar underground.


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