He lived down the street from me. Flat boards all over his overgrown yard. He'd pick them up for the kids and show them what lived underneath. Salamanders. He called the front legs arms with hands and fingers. No one was allowed to touch them, just look. They stood silently, hypnotized by the beauty. He told them this would be as close as they'd ever get to God. Some parents didn't appreciate that. One father told him to stay away from his daughter. If he ever caught him near her again, he'd call the cops. A few days later, the police did come to his home. Complaints about a terrible odor coming from within. They smashed the door down. A crowd gathered. No one avoided stepping on the boards.
Jimmy Pappas served during the Vietnam War as an English language instructor training South Vietnamese soldiers. Jimmy received his BA in English at Bridgewater State University and an MA in English literature from Rivier University. He is a retired teacher whose poems have been published in many journals, including Yellowchair Review, Rattle, Shot Glass Journal, Off the Coast, Boston Literary Magazine, and War, Literature and the Arts. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Poetry Society of NH. He was one of ten finalists in the 2017 Rattle Poetry Contest.
Jimmy, have you seen THE POST? I recommend it.
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