Wednesday, June 26, 2019

When You Find a Dead Body Before You’re Twelve

When you’re find a dead body
Before you’re twelve
It’s important that you take that in
As a real
Coming-of-age
Sort of experience

Perhaps go on a road trip

Don’t drive
You can’t drive
You’re not old enough to drive

But maybe walk
Walk for awhile
And take a few friends with you

Be combative
Or silent
Moody
Sulk
Grumble

Whatever you feel
You need to do
To understand
This thing
That you cannot possibly understand

Meaning life and death
Mortality
The sensitivity
That comes
With the human body
And how easily
It can be reduced
To an empty microwave popcorn bag
On the side of the road

Do not touch the body
Do not report that the body is there
Do not tell the police about the body
Or a grown-up
Any grown-up
Not even a cool one

Not even your art teacher
Who has tattoos
And lets you draw whatever you want
Even if it’s naked people

Even he can’t be trusted
With this monumental information

Poke the body with a stick if you want
Don’t worry about showing it any respect

You’re not even twelve
You have no respect
Not for yourself
And definitely not
For the body of a stranger
Who looks as though
They’ve been murdered

Check to see if there’s anything
Near the body
Specifically a bag of cash
And if there is
And this is important

DO NOT TAKE IT

That will only lead to trouble
And you’re already in enough trouble
Because you’re not even twelve
And you’ve already seen a dead body

And when I say ‘trouble’
I don’t mean actual trouble
I’m not talking about you being grounded
I mean, ‘trouble’ as in, like--

LIke your mind is going
To be really
And I’m going to swear now--

Fucked
Over this

Like, forever
Like, probably forever

The road trip might cure it
But that’s doubtful

Although it might also
Teach you the meaning
Of friendship
But that’s also doubtful

And it’s doubtful
That you won’t grow up
To be a cool adult
Who really only seems cool
But is secretly
A fucking monster

Did you catch the double negative there?

Do you know what a double--

Of course you don’t
You’re not even twelve

But sometimes
Things show up
Before you’re ready for them
And this
Is one of those things

So look
But quickly
Then look away

Looking away quickly
Won’t lessen
The result

But staring at a dead body
For too long
Isn’t something
Anybody should do

No matter what age

You are

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