NaPM April 25 2016

[Keith]

@ just Mercedes Double up and I love em both nice job, great reads

[RiverNotch]

DAGSA

Look at the birdie,
dear family.
Now give me a smiley
and one -- two -- three --

Look at the picture:
what do you see?
A stranger -- a gun
pointed -- at -- me --

[Leanne]

The alley is silent. Rain glistens on concrete
and tar, stretching shadows beneath a single light.
She served drinks in the club until midnight. Still
in her stockings and heels, she walks home along
familiar streets, unconcerned. This is her city.
She turns into the alley, a shadow moves, she screams.

This only happens on the screen.

In the cities, as in the towns, it is not
dark alleys and desperate strangers
who stalk us, who beat us, who make us beg
for our lives. What twisted fate mistakes
possession for love? We are owned,
controlled, broken, cast aside, but if we dare
begin to live again, it ends.

There is no more rain for Tara. No streets
were safe for Karen. The light didn't help
Rachel, or Rosemary, or Rebecca. All of them
made it home; home, where the heart stops.

It is not strangers we must fear.

[Todd]

@Leanne: Like this a lot for content and execution. I would love to see you expand on the strophe with the names. Even keeping the structure of "There is no more rain for Tara [add detail etc]. I don't know if you've read it but sort of like how Marge Piercy handled Joy Road and Livernois. Good read though.