Witness

Shadell Jamison

A scratchy crackling STOP!!!!

pierced the tension...
Their eyes locked, he interrogated her
& with every wrong answer his knuckles cracked
like necks within rope
she pleaded,
he obliged with weight
of world on her face
his fingers branded bitch on her cheek & jaw

to remind her that estrogen flaws her
flung into backseat of an impala
she turned her fist
to empowerment
rested her eyelashes
in a blink
collapsed
he resumed painting her chocolate coated
skin red & purple
I was puzzled,
adults stood ...
enjoying late night cinema
no way to digest it
I wiped my sweaty hands on my pockets
felt outline of cell phone
still
it was too far
dialing three numbers
impossible