The August 3rd prompt in The Daily Poet: Day-By-Day Prompts For Your Writing Practice, by Kelli Russell Agodon & Martha Silano is to ‘imagine yourself holding five things in your hand: a person, a building, a weapon, and two other items of your choosing.’ I chose Miles Davis, the Eiffel Tower, a flame-thrower, railroad tracks, and an elevator…

It was quite the collection
the kind you’d expect to find
in some bizarre dream

Miles played the Eiffel Tower
in a lift travelling sideways
leaving railroad tracks behind

A spent flame-thrower
lay at the top of the stairs
The little girl carefully stepped over it

‘Quit trying to hold on so tight’

Her voice startled me
I didn’t know there was anyone there
on the other side of the door

I opened my eyes
my outstretched palm
was empty

(3 August 2015)