Hymn

Outside the window,

hymns filled the church's halls,

flowed onto the sidewalks,

into the streets.

A boy lifted his head to follow the sound

to the church window then stared at the window beside it

the one with daffodils brightly drooping against the pane.

Inside

she is sitting in yesterday's petticoat

legs raw from running

from her heart being pressed to the rotating blade of his smile

she'd sworn off 2 seasons ago.

In the winter,

as thick blood rose to the skin's surface and froze,

she thought,

This is all right. This, it's really not so bad.

'Cept now, it is summer so

it begins to thaw, as the cut reopens, the past still thick and brooding

oozing onto the hard wooden floors.