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| photo by me |
Tracks
Under each of his
uncut fingernails is a
half-moon of black.
No fewer than twelve
jangling keychains
hang from his backpack.
He returns from the library
joy on his face
hugging his new stack.
After twenty-two weeks
his brave facade
is cracked.
Hugs:
unsolicited
payback.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2015
When I started writing this poem, each of the "tracks" was written with a different student in mind. Before I hit "publish," I switched all the pronouns so that they matched. Now it sounds like it's about ONE person (which makes it fiction now), but I think it has better flow and tells a story...even if it's fiction...or maybe especially because it's fiction!
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated by the story behind your poem and clicked on your link hoping to learn more. Thanks for sharing your process.
ReplyDeleteI hope you will share more about the photo. I love it as I do the poem.
ReplyDeleteThe photo is of tire tracks in light snow in the parking lot at school. I was stuck by the geometry, the color, and the light.
DeleteThe details are so real. It feels like it's one kid. And I want to know more of his story. A novel in verse?
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful pairing of the photo and the poem, Mary Lee. The careful details in the writing (half-moon of black, jangling keys, stack of books...) contrasts with the monochrome photo, yet each are traces of a story.
ReplyDelete