5-2 Poetry, Gerald So, editor

5-2 Crime Poetry Week is the brainchild of Gerald So.

And this is National Poetry Month so the timing is fitting.

Chad Haskins

APPARITION

I forgot how deep
the shallow grave was.

The photograph
is light and heavy
in my trembling hand.

There we are together:
A reminder of

what once was.
What did you do, precious baby,

to get your daddy to hold you
cheek to cheek?

Look at the pride in his eyes,
chin high
beneath a glowing smile,

embracing you
with both arms;
he can’t get close enough.

How did you
fuck that up?

I love this poem from start to finish. The first line brilliantly sets up the dilemma here: that a parents' grave can be both shallow and deep because of the intensity of his/her bonds with their child. In this case, the bonds have been severed and the child takes all the blame, chastising himself for ruining the relationship. Clearly he wants to return to the time when the parent was proud of him, treasured him.

The adult addresses the infant in the photograph, hoping the warning is heeded, but knowing it cannot be and is almost jealous that he once evoked such love.

Here Chad is reading his poem.

P.S DEADLY TREATS, a Halloween anthology Theresa Weir put together for last fall in a print edition, is now available free today as an ebook. My story, The Angel Deeb, is one of them.