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"Poetry is the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash." Leonard Cohen

Sunday, December 7, 2014

LATEST NEWS, THIS JUST IN*


We were on our way out of town
when it came on the radio
A  little girl was missing:
the vehicle being described
as seen in the neighbourhood where
she disappeared...
Well, it matched the one we were driving
out of the city.

What the hell—
Sure there's lots of '88 GMC, navy Vandura's.
But how many of them have three round white rust spots
on the sliding door.
Plus a diagonal slash on the driver's door.

I slowed and pulled over to the shoulder.
Both of us stared  into the dim interior, calling softly,
"Punky? Hey Punky?"
We crossed our fingers, she either wasn't there, or if she was,
 she'd be just fine.

*This is based on a true story: six year old  Punky Gustavason was the subject of Edmonton's largest manhunt when she was snatched in 1992; she was  raped and smothered, left for dead two days later - she died before she was found.

Our van was one of the ones investigated because it fit the description...we were out of town when the child was taken, but it was still creepy. Her killer was not caught until 2000, and it took until 2005, with DNA evidence to convict him.

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