A poem a day for 2013 - day 20 - Transfer

Story happens after shot
After camera has clicked 
Black and white of little girl with locks
Has been matted and framed
Then the story

Where was she going
Who was she with 
Why was she sitting alone 

What camera did he use
Did she know her photo was being taken from behind
Did she smile inside

Of all his work
She is my favorite
I am that girl
Riding the bus 
Going to school
To mall 
Away

She stares out the window
At pigeons
At Taco Bell
At man selling living room rugs draped over a fence

Maybe she was on the 210 south on Crenshaw
Or 43 east to downtown
710 north to Wilshire

She is going away
She is setting herself free
With bus pass 
Thirteen dollars
With peanut butter and jelly sandwich and Sprite soda
Her Arizona tea and yellow spiral notebook
Two pens and library book she will never return 
Because she is leaving here

I wish I could tell her
The bus will not go far enough
The route will end 
She will still be here
Not far enough gone

If she is lucky
She will find a quarter
Then a dollar
A pair of jeans
And maybe a job

O Cynthia 
Protect yourself from monsters
Especially the ones who look like models, doctors and teachers
Find a school a church a friend

She will change her name
And learn to dance
She will sing and make her mama proud
One day

Away