Shelby Parks
Walking because
I am angry.
Away from the house to feel
the squish of the mud through my toes.
Each squelch distracts from what I left.
In the dark,
in the city.
Not afraid when we should be.
Two girls at night. Haven’t we ever seen the news?
A humid breeze and the city lights as company.
Talking forever as we walk
on.
Same city,
in the daylight.
Concrete pathways
next to the water. Shared with bikes,
rollerbladers.
I wish I could do that. It might feel like flying.
But I would fall down.
Different city, a bigger one. Overwhelming,
not intimidating.
My life is opening night.
Billboards, theater facades, names in lights. It’s night,
but it looks like day.
Nothing matters but this week spent here.
This week of Hadestown, dance classes, and dim sum.
Before everything went dark.
Back to the dirt roads
I left. Dry, cracking,
full of holes that dad will fill with shell.
I walk
now because what else is there to do?
Left, right, left, right. If I keep going,
maybe I’ll make it
back to then.