Back to L. B. Sedlacek's Artist PageTo the Artist's Page     Back to the Unlikely Stories home pageTo our home page
Alexandra's WreckTo L. B. Sedlacek's next piece


Gone Missing

Brown and thick like syrup oozing
from plastic bottles pumped by two eager hands
drowning criss-crossed patterns
the waffle soles walk side by side
parting the river with vinyl thighs,
dangling flashlights and netting
from 150 rubber fingers
belonging to 30 hands
all after the same fish -- 
dead or alive
with odds now 3 days into the hunt
at 10 to 1.

With 4,000 steps completed
1 voice echoes into 2
bouncing off piers and a bridge
as 15 lights turn into 1 spotlight
illuminating a broken silhouette:
1 body, 1/2 shadow.

Then 2 feet carry the now silent heartbeat
forward to 1 last destination as
1 finger presses a clear round
plastic button awash in an orange glow
as 4 eyes meet then look
away as 1 pair of lips move
and 1 pair quivers.

To the top of this pageTo the top of this page