[The nineteenth installment of the month-long poetry sequence that began on October 1st.]
"Parade Apes"
Bobby Fleischer
"Just stay here," Mommy tells me when she gets off the phone,
"I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise." Then she hurries off,
Leaving me home alone for the first time in my entire life.
Still wearing the Chewbacca costume I'd been trying on,
I plop onto the sofa, pick up the clicker, and turn on "The Clone Wars."
But I rush to the window a half hour later when I hear all the noise.
Seeing Mommy in the bunch of adults passing by in the street,
I throw on my shoes and coat and bolt out to the sidewalk.
The strange parade has already moved on, though.
As I stand there wondering, wishing I could follow along,
I'm barreled into by Ben Gorman and his gorilla friends from 6th grade.
Calling me "ugly little freak" (and worse names I can't repeat)
They jab at me with the long ends of their hockey sticks.
All I can think as I'm forced down the block is Mommy, you promised.
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