Printed from WriteWords - http://www.writewords.org.uk/archive/6924.asp

Mark Doty off-shoot: Reflections with the Coroner

by  gard

Posted: Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Word Count: 377
Summary: I know I am behind here is my Mark Doty offshoot, kinda at a tangent though. Yes it is based on a real event..




Reflections with the Coroner

Version 2 (rough one)

She hanged herself from the doorframe
the rope around her neck, the 6-inch nails,
the stool to kick away, she dangled
stark as a dead hawk on a barbwire fence.

The letters posted three days ahead
the instructions, the police, the key
"under the pot of yellow crysthanthemums"
the “come around the back
do not disturb the neighbours" as she dangled
stark as a dead hawk on a barbwire fence.

She had played no opera of late
preferring home improvements, that hammering
the doorframe, the 6-inch nails, the rehearsals
the floor vibrated though it had gone quiet
and I was wrapped up in my life and anyway
her teeth were black stumps and anyway
she always had a glass of whiskey in her hand

He said that there could be many reasons
maybe she had a terminal disease though
he said her dog died some months before
I thought of when I stood aloof
the blunted indignation while she apologised
dropping tiny scraps of chicken into a dustbin
the little fragments she extended to my dog
which he had nibbled gently from her fingertips
and how she could hang herself from the doorframe.


------------------------------------------
V1

She hanged herself from the doorframe
the rope around her neck, the 6-inch nails,
the stool to kick away, she dangled
stark as a dead hawk on a barbwire fence.

He said it was well planned
the letters posted three days ahead
the information, the police,
the key under the pot of yellow crysthanthemums
and “Come around the back
and don't disturb the neighbours”.

She had played no opera of late
but started home improvements
then the hammering, the floor vibrated
though it had gone quiet and I was wrapped up in my life
and anyway her teeth were black stumps and anyway
she always had a glass of whiskey in her hand.

He said that there could be many reasons
maybe she had a terminal disease though
he said her dog died some months before
and I thought of when I stood aloof
the blunted indignation as she apologised
dropping tiny scraps of chicken into a dustbin
the little fragments she extended to my dog
which he had nibbled gently from her fingertips.