Ten

Ten 

 

I am ten

I am always ten

alone

in the vastness

of a dark movie theater

not the first time

but clarity of memory

being left

 

“you stay here”

others are there

say nothing

complicit while

I sit alone

like a dog

“stay”

see groupings

families

but not for me

aware of surrounding

aware of the difference

scanning my periphery

like sonar on submarines

there are submarines

on the screen

a voyage

to the bottom of the sea

Walter Pigeon

Peter Lorre

Robert Sterling

and me

and the darkness

 

on this day

there is no red alert

no need to dive

sonar is calm

steady

I disappear

into the screen

I am them

not me

never wanting to

be just me

wanting to be a “them”

 

I come back

quietly

disturbing nothing

deep inside I lose

the sense of safety

surfacing

like the damaged

Seaview

only to find

the sky is on fire

it is where

the movie ended

wondering when I

leave the theater

will the sky be on fire

for me

I am ten

I am always ten

 

 

Zack Hoffman     2026