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Death Boy
by David HillIt was before the acid kicked in,
before the switch from monochrome to kaleidoscope.
Suburbia was still secure and safe, laces straight.
Beneath a voltage sky of fireflies,
stars spilled golden in sweet breezes.
I turned 9 that summer in 65, crewcut clean
though I knew a few curse words, discerned a couple centerfolds.
Testing my curfew on the curb outside our split-level,
digging street tar with a stick, dreaming of a blue Schwinn Sting-Ray
and finding a face in the moon (I still watched cartoons).
Some unseen shift occurred,
not cognitive conclusion, but the instinctive awakening
of a whispering cellar dweller settled in a chakra.
Squirming in the growing grip of bone finger fear,
I found no comfort in the streetlight,
so I dashed to our house, ran to my room,
closed tight the door, but it was already there.
I now knew that everything,
everything must die.
01/29/2005 Posted on 01/29/2005
Copyright © 2026 David Hill
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Mark Maxey on 01/29/05 at 03:40 PM "I turned 9 that summer in 65, crewcut clean
though I knew a few curse words, discerned a couple centerfolds." Man..you captured a scene so eloquently...very nicely done! Great poem |
| Posted by Mary Ellen Smith on 01/31/05 at 05:46 PM that moment of innocence lost...few could put this so well I think....really good. |
| Posted by Michele Schottelkorb on 02/03/05 at 01:11 AM nostalgic, bittersweet and honest... i love this too... blessings... |
| Posted by Quinn Vokes on 02/03/05 at 02:22 AM amazing read... 'I turned 9 that summer in 65, crewcut clean though I knew a few curse words' this part kind of reminds me of Garrison Keiler. I don't know if you know him, but he wrote and had a radio show about a small town. |
| Posted by Karl Waldbauer on 02/03/05 at 04:00 AM An excellent retelling of the Garden of Eden myth. Stunning imagery with a truly powerful ending. |
| Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 02/07/05 at 03:03 PM I found this wonderous from a personal history point of view, but also disturbing in how it suddenly changes directions at the end. In my opinion the reason for that change should be strengthened. Kudos! |
| Posted by Joan Serratelli on 04/16/06 at 09:43 PM Great job on a comming of age piece- vivid imagry.I loved this! How did I miss this? |
| Posted by Kristina Woodhill on 02/08/07 at 09:17 PM A great write - I had no idea where this was heading - but enjoyed the ride to the final moment of realization immensely. |
| Posted by Charlie Morgan on 10/30/08 at 02:04 PM ...dave, seems you complimented me on 'my words having a flavor!' yeah, well right back atcha! serendipity was what i found first with this Zen string of moments, secondly i, too, like all the peeps above really see the hand/fingers/mind/heart of a genius-writer...tall work! |
| Posted by Kristina Woodhill on 03/26/13 at 01:38 PM Good to re-read this and see it as POTD! Congrats. |
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