Issue 21 preview: The Skeleton and the City, by Jose Hernandez Diaz

The Skeleton and the City

Jose Hernandez Diaz

A giant skeleton rose from the concrete in the middle of the street. Cars pulled over. People started openly weeping. The skeleton jumped onto the street and started walking. It was 20 feet tall. People ran in the opposite direction. One brave man on a scooter rode up to the skeleton, but was quickly crushed by the skeleton’s foot.

The skeleton walked to a lake. It bathed in the water. Swans swam nearby as the sun set. After a few minutes, the skeleton got out of the water and started playing baseball with a group of kids. They did not fear the skeleton. The skeleton hit a home run on the first pitch. Instead of running around the bases, it disappeared like the autumnal sunlight. Quietly, the moon rose over the suburbs of Los Angeles.


This poem is featured in Issue 21 of Barrelhouse magazine. Order your copy today!