Pearl River Community College's award winning literary magazine

Special Edition—Spring-Summer 1998

Special Section

MCCCWC entry—poetry division


 

THE UNIVERSE TILTED TODAY

CAROLYN JEMISON
 
 
 
 

Morning sun peaks in my window,
reaches across my room,
tries to touch my eyes.
Jump out of bed before it reaches me.
Floor cold under my feet.
Hurry and get dressed.
Today feels strange.

 

Everyone scrambles around,

gets ready for the day.

 
 
 

Why haven't I heard Papa's truck
rumbling away from the house?
Have I overslept?
Rush into dining room,
not knowing what to expect.
The air feels strange.

Papa hasn't left,
coffee at table, cigarette burns,
morning paper crackles,
smell of whiskey in the air.
Papa not dressed,
get to work, get to school.
The                air                feels                thick.


Stand at bus stop,
Play hopscotch,
skip rocks in street.
Outside air feels crisp,
That's what birds say.
Suddenly...

 
 
 

The
 


Universe


 



 

Tilts.

Papa's truck rumbles,
shakes ground.
Knocks morning garbage

Truck swerves on street.

 
 
 
 

S L O W S      D O W N,      B R E A K S      UP      O U R      M E L O D Y

"You kids be good today!"


 


Did they feel it too?
 
 


Teacher reads lesson,
Johnny pulls Sarah's hair,
Ralph makes spit balls.
On the school yard,
birds and squirrels busy.
Keep hearing Papa's words,
All the same, not the same.
Something not right.
Teacher calls my name angrily,
"Daydreamer, Daydreamer, wake up!"
Can teacher feel it?


 



 
 

Finally home.
Step off the bus.
House looksquiet.
Three dark suits,
peek into windows ask,
"Where's your father?"
Climb into window,
unlock front door.
Where's Papa, where's Baby Brother?

 

At police station.
Baby brother runs up,
gets a hug from all.
No word about Papa,
everyone runs around,
all sights new.
Snacking on ice-cream,
young ones think, "This is fun."
This is not right, where's Papa?
 
 


Uncle Dan comes to take us to Grandpa's.
Mama will be there,
she knows where Papa is.
Lots of people here.
Some angry, some cry, some scream.
Grandpa says, "Pipe down!"
Sit, wait to hear about Papa.
Where's Papa, where's Mama?


 



 
 

Grandpa takes a step.
Tall and strong, face red,
points angrily.

Everything slows down, way down.


 
 
 
 

Room gets dark.


 


Something wrong with my ears.

Feel I'm rushing from myself
Someone, make the room stop!

Can't keep up.


 


Someone screams in my ear.

Make them stop.
Try to hear what

 


Grandpa is saying.
 

Did he just say?
 


YOUR

MAMA'S                  DEAD!


 




YOUR      PAPA      KILLED      YOUR      MAMA!
 
 



THE UNIVERSE EXPLODES
 
 
 
 

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The Magic River Literary Magazine is a publication of
The Department of English
Copyright 1998, by Pearl River Community College
Poplarville, Mississippi
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Last Update 10-14-1998