Jump Rope

Shannon,
I knew her in 
middle school
friends caught 
somewhere between
being children, pre-teen
adults.

We jumped with
a wooden handled rope 
across the stage
in Tom Sawyer.

1890's leather
and petticoats
galloping and swishing
against exposed 
pale thin knobbed
ankles.

Crossed stage right
to stage left,
cued when Tom and 
Becky kissed.
 
Growing shannon
learned to kiss dangerous
exciting men.

Coccaine and Vodka
replaced petticoats
and plays. I heard  
years later of the haunted
whispers of such a childs
fate.

Death stole her at the 
age of twenty after 
nightly slaps - screams
from one of her
immoral un-ingenues.

Shannon Stopped.
Stopped skipping, 
laughing, playing,
acting.

She hung herself from a 
rusty fire escape in a
little city alley with the 
same wooden handled 
jump rope at midnight
in march's icy rain.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2007

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Suzadail Jr. Avatar
May 6, 2009 at 2:04 PM
I've seen this in my life and the horror and the sadness never leave. Good kids and wrong decisions. Sometimes you just ask why, sometimes you cry. Vince
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