Competition

Highly Commended

Vinnie’s
by Julie Lynch
Kholo, Qld

let's go to Vinnie's we proclaim
contemporaneously
it's been three weeks

the laconic man behind the L has trol
a scar con
asilentsittingontheredchromestoolwaitingwatchinground till
brownwifewhoarcsherdandycandylipstickonaboveherlip and

he eyes us charily weighing us like almonds
IF we take more than 3 items into the change room
WILL the same number come out? no
not just the same number…..the same items
we could shuck off our traps
hermit-crab into the pre-loved,
suspend still-warm shapes of selves
on hangers and relocate price tags
it's happened before

in Vinnie's
we reach for that handbag
contemporaneously

a reticule, drawstring tightened on
sizzling summer evenings at the cinema
this kaliedo coloured coat, hunched against insult
this spinster teacher box-pleat mid-calf skirt
this felt hat, drowsy, dropping its aitches all
all once belonged to people
people who've moved
on up down out away in through
yes, dying is moving we assure each other

in Vinnie's
we grow more tender with one another
contemporaneously

while none of us, bar one, is wearing
striped pyjamas, there is certain evidence
that each of us is grappling with some
kind of grizzly in our arctic tundras
outside, we clutch between us only a knife for your blue vein
and brie, an extra long neck scarf for me
who are we, who are we
to think the trip's not worth it?
we leave, as always, laden with intangibles