Third Place Winner, November 2008 InterBoard Poetry Competition

Poetry

InterBoard Poetry Competition

Third Place Winner, November 2008

only waitress at the truck stop who never uses the cash register *Justin Hyde* (Salty Dreams) pamela is half indian, grey-black hair in a double braid down her back. every time she serves me another waitress rings the ticket. i figured she was slow or bad with numbers, maybe had a theft charge in her past. but yesterday on my way out she was sitting on the hood of her car smoking a cigarette. come here a sec tell me what this says, she motioned over and handed me a white piece of paper creased in thirds. told me she found it taped to her apartment door that morning. i told her it was a note from her landlord saying she had five business days to get rid of her dog. she stood up and snuffed out the cigarette with her heel. bear’s been with me since idaho, she said and walked back in leaving the note in my hand. Comments by judges Hélène Cardona and John Fitzgerald: “This poem has a nice flow and interesting narrative. It’s concise and compelling, and keeps the reader surprised until the end. The waitress is very well captured, almost cinematic.”


About the InterBoard Poetry Competition Archive of IBPC Winners Honorable Mention, November 2008