Dead of Summer
Donnie Aucoin was twelve
he died swimming
his dad explained Donnie was where
he could swim as much as he wanted
Ellie Buckland
went to the hospital
she was anemic or something
she faded away
the teacher told us
Ellie was now in Strawberry Fields
she was eleven
Frankie Cameron, also eleven
visiting his grandmother in Toronto
was hit by a car
I don’t know where he went
Toronto seemed far enough away
that’s when I first wanted to die
so my parents would say
what a great fun kid I was
that everyone liked me
that I would be missed
no more school
no more homework
my dad wouldn’t get angry at me
for forgetting to take out the garbage
no one could pick on me
in bed on summer nights
smelling lilacs across the street
I’d pretend how wonderful it would be
in that cozy coffin
everyone would come up to my silver coffin
see my head on the gold satin pillow
look at my sweet little face
be sorry for not asking me to Jamie’s party
for making me stay after class
for knocking the hamster cage over
which I didn’t
but I’m not going to rat out who did
and he would feel so sorry
he wasn’t a better friend
when I took the blame
he’d tell Mrs. Butterworth
he had been the one
she would come over to my little coffin
put her warm hand on my cool cheek
tell me how sorry she was
then give me one of the peppermints
she kept in her desk
before I knew it I would be asleep
disappointed when I awoke
alive
to remember
I forgot to take out the garbage
again
tree fall
This was written for a Coffehouse Cabaret (remember them) at the Renaissance Cafe. They did regular musical theme nights: Delta Blues, Bob Dylan & others. Musicians were encouraged to do cover versions. I wrote some about or inspired by the theme style or band.
So I have pieces about the Doors, Dylan, Neil Young and more as a result. I’d usually read something by the band – for the Beatles I read In My Life – one of my favourite Beatle lyrics.
it’s that time of year again
If you missed it ‘strawberry fields’ is the Beatles reference. Strawberry Fields, which for some I reason I thought was a cemetery, turns out to be a children’s home near where Lennon grew up, either made it logical for this nostalgic look back at kids in my life.
The names are real enough but composites of names I remember – some of the deaths are real but often I had no names to put with them – like the boy who got killed by a car. I did have a teacher named Butterworth though. Not sure if she kept anything in her desk.
crushed 0 speed bike
I did attended a summer funeral too – but for the mother of a boy I knew. The death fantasy may have sprung from her open coffin but it was one I entertained from time to time. Right down how much people would be sorry they’d been so mean to me. I did often forget to take out the garbage too – yet another of my constant disappointments for my Dad.
October 10-12 – attending – Gratitude Roundup http://www.torontogratitude.org
October 19 – feature – Cabaret Noir – Pinebow https://www.facebook.com/events/1651892755035275/
November 1-30 – participating – NaNoWriMo 2014 – http://nanowrimo.org
Brazil #3 !! Olá – deixa-me cair uma linha
