It All Begins Here

by Amy Soricelli

If she started there first she would say first -
where did you begin?
It wouldn't be pink princess slippers down by the bed oh no -
the moon did not begin by her bed its slippery pie smile, so Mr.Cheese -
it haunts too. oh yes it can haunt.
She would not ask if she could hide somewhere in the folds of some memory it burns black black coal
into the slivery slips of her skin.
He touches her and he shouldn't so she carries it shhhhhhhhhhhhh
till it's in her dreams like black black black dead cats on highways and shrunken heads
in black black black movie theatres.
He waits for her every day her violin case thump thump thump
up onto her legs bruise them every day till she sees him waiting there
top of the stairs top of the stairs the very top.
No turning back no turning around always there his eyes
waiting dead there is no life there.
If she started there first she would say first
how did you live your life?
It couldn't be all popcorn balls and christmas lights its not that simple
the tin foil dreams of other kids.
Hers on the top stairs its black black black hands like hate.
It would begin there.