Necktie

Necktie

The color of a shadow

He wasn’t really make-believe

Not in my memories

A man in a suit

A black suit

The man was as tall as a tree

Slender like a maple

He had a finely cut mustache

So clean cut

With a necktie so perfectly tight

So tight I thought he might choke

And this man with a suit

Black in the heat

Shadow in my mind

With a finely cut mustache

And a perfectly tight tie

So tight I thought he might choke

He came to the door

Knocked first, rang loudly

I had to have noticed him

Black as shadow in sunlight

I went to answer

He looked down at his shoes

Looking down at me

At his shoes

When he spoke his voice

Sounded like nails and buttons

Not sure of what sound it was

But it was like nails

And buttons

Like metal meets plastic

Falling from his throat

Hitting my ears

Small, I was six at the time

This man with the black suit

Slender like a maple

Clean cut mustache

Necktie so tight          

His tone was of an adult voice

Words that are followed by an action

An action that brought my parents

An action that brings static

He told them a story

They covered my ears

Small, I was only six at the time

15 words

And my brother was gone

An apology

The shadow in the suit

He apologized

I was only six at the time

In my memory

He was tall

Black suit in the heat

Cleanly cut mustache

Perfect necktie tied so tight

I hoped he would choke

-Ella