the swing
the old, dirty tire hanging from two chains
seesaws, always
empty,
it continues to sway praying for one
person to use it, give meaning to
its existence.
it’s been there for years—unused,
unwanted. a lonesome swing,
the tire never felt the joy of being
enjoyed and used.
all it wants is to hear the giggle of someone.
kids and adults flood the playground,
day and night—not even soused teens
sit on the most lonely of swings.
one fine summer day, three
robust men arrived with
sledgehammers and shovels.
they tore down the swing, tossing into
a fire the tire and its wooden poles.
instead of proffering joy and laughter,
the swing polluted the air; its
spirit haunted the playground.
it watched the visitors sitting on the fancy new
swing, invisible tears watered
the playground’s dirt; come spring, black roses flourished
amidst the toys. all were bewildered from the roses that
swayed back and forth,
back and forth, on occasion
shedding a drop of water, like a tear for
the spirit that no longer lingered on.
- © George Gad Economou 2022
George Gad Economou holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy of Science and resides in Athens, Greece, doing freelance work whenever he can while searching for a new place to go. His novella, Letters to S., was published in Storylandia Issue 30 and his short stories and poems have appeared in literary magazines, such as Adelaide Literary Magazine, The Chamber Magazine, The Edge of Humanity Magazine, and Modern Drunkard Magazine. His first poetry collection, Bourbon Bottles and Broken Beds, was published by Adelaide Books in 2021.
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