Purgatory

Rene 2009

she sits
 on the curb

across the street

from his house

tracing slow deliberate circles

around a scab
 on her knee

fighting the strongest urge
 to pick at it

every once in a while

she looks up
head tilted
squinting one eye
underneath
hopeful dirty blonde bangs
searching for release
from a door crack

she sits
 on the curb

across the street

from his house

tracing

with her fingertip
in the sand that runs along the gutter

making smilies and peace signs

around a single word

spelled out in bits of gravel

one
single
 word

she sits
on the curb

across the street

from his house
rubbing a freckled nose

wishing, hoping
waiting
 for the curtains
to part

for a door latch

to be heard

and for
 "sorry"

to be seen

Peace ~ Rene 2009