. . .
has left the building
perhaps the standard
understanding Elvis
he understands it as anyone whos
died
the building
their body
the reminder left behind
no lurking
but
Whaif one coud lurk
keep to a closet
hide in an attic
in the basement
a lot of people wont look in
the former two
creepy
he
grewup in a late eighteenhunreds house that had both
it had been the farmhouse on an
enormous tract of land
hed seen pictures of it standing alone
no outbuildings
surrounded by prairie
likely in the faded ghostydistance
were the fields
if they were they were out of
focus
a tree wasnt to be seen
absence of evidence is not evidence
of absence
obscene
absence
his family moved into the
housethe neighbourhood early Sixties
concrete streets curbs at the corners of the blocks overhead lamps though
they were punctuated by empty lots For
Sale signs posted
by the time he was in high school
they were sold homes built on them
the prairies which is what the kids called them on them young trees grew and they built forts to play in
he was ambitious stole lumber from constructions devised and built
tree forts
they were cool
then lots were split
half their forts went sidewise consumed
then remaining forts were dismantled
watching he laughed bitterly dismantled with extreme prejudice
he believed the men who bulldozed them
excavated the earth dug basements erected forms snaked with rebar poured
concreteKNEW knew what they destroyed
no brick
basements like his houses
they were lurking
playing
hide n seek
No one’s looking for us.
It’s too early to say.
No one is.
You don’t know that.
I don’t hear anyone.
Shush.
Has anyone heard someone call Olly
olly oxen free.
Shush, please. Anyone smell chemicallysmells?
Chemicals?
Yes. Formaldehyde, phenoxyethanol,
ethyl alcohol?
No.
Anyone smell natural
or liquefied petroleum gas?
No.
No one’s lookin . .
. . Shush.
Smell alkaline?
What?
Smells like soap.
No. Why?
Aquamation.
Oh God.
SHUSH.
No one’s looking for us.
Maybe someone will.
When.
Let’s hope soon.
he believed theyre there
wed be enlightened if we sought them out gave them a little more time
if we werent frightened by death
2053, Saturday,
16 12. 23
2330, Saturday, 16 12.
23
