Poetry Thursday: Prose Poetry

Well, first of all, let's sing a little "Happy Birthday" to Poetry Thursday. The are a year old today. What a challenge they put before all of us. (not nearly as bad as the mathematical proof)
Write a prose poem. I looked through my writing, thought of writing, and then decided to tried revising a poem I wrote over ten years ago. It was inspired by the vigil being held for Nicole Brown Simpson on the anniversary of her death.

Day Five

Oncoming traffic prevents her from turning left. She loses time. She loses place. She is the dutiful pupil remembering to look left, right, and then left again. Courthouse looms ahead but this is not her destination. She sees the temporary clothesline. More tee shirts line the stairs leading to the courtroom doors. She pulls over, stops the truck, jumps out. She needs a closer look, yet trembles as she walks toward the scene. Are you still hitting? After twenty years I am at peace I cannot take it anymore I live but my mommy does not
Tee-shirts flap as the wind whips them around. She loses time. She loses place. She weeps and flinches as the hand rests on her shoulder. “Would you like to make one?”
She takes a tee shirt and the pen:
When will it end? Her tee shirt flutters free. She wonders who felt violence during this brief, peaceful vigil.

As originally written:
Day Five

Oncoming traffic

she decides not to turn

left until 13th

at Franklin

She is the dutiful

school girl remembering to

look both directions

sees the

courthouse

a clothesline of tee-shirts

flapping

lining the stairs

She stops the truck

jumps out

are you still hitting?

after twenty years, I am at peace

I can't take it anymore

I live but my mommy doesn't

unaware of the time

a hand rests

on her shoulder

would you like to make one?

She takes the tee shirt and the pen

when will it stop

two clothespins her tee shirt

flutters freely

who felt violence during this

peaceful vigil?

For more prose poetry, visit Poetry Thursday.