I would like to welcome another new participant in the mini monthly competitions – John Skendall – with his piece prompted by the theme of Partings. Another strong entry and this month is shaping up to be one of the best yet. Please swing by and see the entries to date; I’m sure that you will find something that you like.

John Skendall says:

September 9, 2013 at 11:01 pm

Grief

We were going to play catch,
to pass this baseball
wound in cord, skin stitched tight,
back and forth
in a quiet arc
until the night came
and our eyes strained
to see anything at all.
But when I turned to release just now
you were gone—
Mom and Dad on the deck
pouring lemonade,
cousins orbiting the house
in playful pursuit,
and me here, under this
empty blue sky,
staring at your impressions
in the grass
watching the ball bounce
and roll, too fast to chase.

(c) John Skendall