< list of names >

[rayheinrich]

                         < list of names >
                       
                        one paper falls
                        on top of another
                        and soon
                        rock is formed
                        from names on top of names
                        whispered to fine sand
                        pressed
                        by immense forces
                        who disavow all knowledge
                       
                        you
                        lift the top folder
                        and open it
                        and read down the list
                        of names
                       
                        they could be
                        highschool classmates
                        guards at a prison camp
                        winners of a florida vacation
                       
                        you
                        hear your voice
                        reading name after name
                        wishing
                        there was more light
                        and your voice
                        sounds different
                        sounds like the voices
                        on the list
                        continuing to read
                        name after name
                        pronouncing yours correctly
                        like they'd read it
                        again and again
                        ever since high-school
                        each morning in the camp
                        on the phone in the evening
                        telling you you'd won
                       
                                    - - -



This started as a list poem for NaPM, but it refused to cooperate.

[billy]

it's quite thought provoking really. more so than i felt before subsequent reads.

[rayheinrich]

it's quite thought provoking really. more so than i felt before subsequent reads.

First impressions are overrated; thanks for taking the time to
re-read it. That makes you an unique individual (not that there was ever
any doubt). Less than 1% of readers actually do this (compared with the
4% that read it once, and the 11% that read parts of it).