A container, rust-bitten,
half-eaten by the sun, sitting alone
like it’s always been here.
Like it belongs.
-
People come here to disappear.
People bring people here,
and only one goes back.
Sometimes none.
-
It’s been this way so long
the marshal stopped caring.
Said something once, years ago,
when he still had fire in his belly.
Then his niece met a man at the diner,
one of those stray-eyed travelers,
all easy smiles and no past.
-
They went to the desert.
Never came back.
-
Next morning the marshal raged,
went off about vanishings,
the hush, the silence.
By sundown, someone took him too.
To the desert.
To a container like this one.
And when he returned,
he never spoke again.
-
Quiet now.
This stretch of land is so peaceful.
-
Strangers come in twos, sometimes ones,
sometimes in buses,
mostly old folk,
smiling too wide.
Like their faces don’t know how to do anything else.
Not drugged, no - it can’t be that.
-
They go elsewhere.
And the land stays quiet.
And the sky stays big.
And the rusted container sits,
biding.
-
Because things like that happen,
out here
in the middle
of nowhere.
.
About the Creator
Iris Obscura
Do I come across as crass?
Do you find me base?
Am I an intellectual?
Or an effed-up idiot savant spewing nonsense, like... *beep*
Is this even funny?
I suppose not. But, then again, why not?
Read on...
Also:
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Creative use of language & vocab
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By Iris ObscuraExclusive • 11 months ago
Center Stage with Gina C.
*** I'm keen to republish the interviews I did for my series with Vocal creators. It's been a few years and I thought it might be nice to revisit these wonderful conversations. I'll be releasing them one at a time for a few weeks/months.
By Heather Hubler4 days ago in Interview
Comments (17)
Wonderfully written ✍️🏆🌺🌺🌺
A sense of unease and eerie stillness is masterfully conveyed.
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Brilliant- The mystery of the rusted container. I wouldn't want to visit in the middle of the desert. The mystery of if you visit will you come back and if you do- will you be the same. Well Done!!
Nowhere Things happen. Very interesting
Each word held my feeling as I read 'till the end. Amazing piece!
sorry, Congrats on TS🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
OMG, this is a hard hitting, thought provoking, true and SAD poem! People trying to come and …end up..nowhere but the rusty bin. People "disappeared" there. And the cactus, the blue sky and road runner birds just keep on existing next to it.
Ohh Twin Peaks vibes
So spooky and unexplained. Love the rusty container art too.
Mystery well laid! Excellent! A genius top story!
Intriguing tale… glad I read it in the morning light, it might have kept me awake at night 😵💫.
Dangerous poetry and dangerous stories. The stillness you've woven into the story is sinister and amazing. Congrats on the Top Story, it's great seeing your work get the attention it deserves!
I am INTRIGUED! Great poem!
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Congrats 🍾🎈🎊🎉 on top Story!!!!!
Beautiful poem! Great work!