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Syndic Literary Journal

Moon Landing

By

 J.Lois Diamond

 Fifty years ago

I’m small and petite.

“One small step for

a man”, the google

doodle broadcasts,

“One giant step for mankind”,

Yet,

for me, that night

will always be

summer camp,

a pack of boys

creeping after me at night, in

the field, throwing me

to the ground

prying me apart

 

“One small step”

I remember laughter

“for a man”, and the rallying cry

from one  to

“Get her in the cunt,

 Kushner”.

“One giant leap”

 

That same summer

larger girls, my bunk mates

develop a curiosity

of the female form,

“One small step”

So each grabs a leg

“for a man”

an arm and splay me

apart,

“A giant leap”

Too squeamish to

examine themselves.

“for mankind”

This is before

the release of

Our Bodies, Ourselves.

 

The astronauts have landed

so the camp routine is gone

The counselors run off,

smoke weed, make out

leave us alone

to make mischief

 

The eagle has landed

They say lunar dust

has a smell of

ash, gunpowder, and metal

an  acrid odor not unpleasant

but to me, it smells like

fear, shame, and an unarmed sense  of

being permanently marooned

 

 

Compiled/Published by LeRoy Chatfield
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