Second Place

How worlds collapse

When he was ten
He spent the summer with his Aunts.
Aunt Rose became his friend.
She was 24, wild, and laughed
About some old guy who fancied her?
One day, messing on the sofa,
She took his hand
And pushed it gently down
Her blouse, on to her left breast.
He thought it might be a new game,
Or hand on heart to swear an oath.
But she said nothing.
She just looked sad,
Like adults do when someone dies.
It only lasted seconds.
Then she removed it
And went to her room.
He sat and listened to her crying
For what seemed like ages,
Before he went outside
To find someone else
To play with.


Tom Dowling
County Kildare, Ireland
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