Jerome

Jerome

When I´m in memoryland

I cannot avoid thinking

On that dark spot in the pictures

My childhood friend Jerome

He was really smart

He played basket like a pro

And he was nice as none

His skin might look like onyx

But he had a golden heart

I remember with sorrow

That gloomy summer night

When we were throwing at each other

Water balloons in the park

My dad appeared from nowhere

His iron hand grabbed my arm

He said something to my pal

And dragged me home

What a shock was for me to see

Hell itself in my father´s eyes

Perhaps Jerome didn´t want to burn

Or he saw the devil inside

What it was I just cannot tell

Or maybe I´m too scared

All I know is I never saw again

My sweet old friend Jerome

Oh father! Tell me please

from your wooden closed bed,

what fearful seed did you put on me?

Why in their smiles I see a grim?

Why are their eyes such a deep pit?

What is this fear to their skin?

Why am I always luckier than they?

Why when I go to pray

I feel they carry the most sins?

I feel my son´s eyes on my nape

A tender smile and he is on my lap

Maybe I cannot get rid of my seed

But I can avoid planting one on him

Because love and understanding is

What this rotten world needs

Yanil Sabrina Feliz Pache