Hunchback In The Park

HUNCHBACK IN THE PARK 700501

By JC STREET © 2004

There is a hunchback in
the park he’s been
there for three years and
no one thought to touch him they
thought he was dead

He still is, but
it’s too early to tell where
the body is buried
--certainly not beneath
the girl moaning softly under the tree

certainly not in that cave
over the hill where
Venus sets

Who can he be the pale
figure with a bone
in his mouth

That’s no dog
throwing its howl to the moon that’s
no chisel
severing his mouth
leaning drunkenly into the wind

There was a girl
here today plump
thighed with a blue
school tunic
hiked up higher than the regulations
permit

She dreamed of the hunchback three nights
back
and thought she was dead

But she still comes
dangerously plump-thighed
in spring

Days like this there’s no tomorrow the
sun takes care of that
bathing
the ruby glow under the tummy
forgetfulness . . .to be continued

--30—

(all girls in this poem are over-18—some of them are 90)