originally published in smith college voices & visions journal, “transitions.” scholastic gold key 2018 winner
where charlie stevens came from it was always fall or summer. in autumn he would rake leaves from the rigid southern roots of the oak out front, and in summer he would watch them wallow in heavy wind until dusk swept them out of sight. sometimes he would walk the dog or ride his bike into town with music of foreign places and better times filling the void through small holes in the sides of his ovular skull and replacing the church bells he could never hear…
