ROMEO
A DIMINUTIVE WARRIOR ROMÉO
See this man Modigliani head elongated neck
Leans against a tree world-weary about the watery
eyes Eyes that cried him a River Styx Pallor greyish
yellow tell-tale sign of years in cells Roméo Roméo
Roméo Phillion: Victim Of Wrongful Imprisonment dead
at 76 Reminiscent of a child I knew 9 yrs eyes also full of
un-cried tears Locked in room used bed as bathroom Almost
climbed out 14th floor window No one would have missed him
Step dad in prison for: breaking my mom’s face May still be in
diapers never toilet trained Took 2 yrs. to notice office had windows
+2 yrs. more to look outside The cell he was locked inside was locked
inside of him Therapist crafting a key from base metals A soul-food
alchemy Eyes so blue like her father’s Countertransferential stew
Back to Roméo 31 yrs. in prison for a murder he did not commit Twin
brother Donald in prison for 2 he did See this child Roméo See this
mother Yvonne Father’s mean-streak ran deep Sent twins away at 8 while
mother birthing 9th
Residential school for orphans+truants St. Joe’s Broke Roméo’s body Spirit
scarred some too Run by Brothers of Christian Schools replete with beatings
+sexual abuse Lost+living by instinct a habitual liar with no sense of right
from wrong (Roméo’s obituary November 7 2015) Multiple suicide attempts
in prison one with fishhooks sent down his throat
Charges withdrawn this past July Roméo’s alibi lay buried in rotting police
records Went directly to the CN tower on the day they set him free Come
gentle night Come Roméo Take him and cut him out in little stars And he
will make the face of Heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with
night (Romeo+Juliet)
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Fall 2015
songanddancegirl 