New Poetry by George Gad Economou

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.