John, by Matthew Borczon

John

had been

a fireman

less than

a year

when he

got a

call a

small boy

fell into

the deep

end of

frontier creek

John said

they were

on scene

in less

than 10

minutes

but it

was too

late he

dove under

the water

until he

found the

body and

did CPR

for 20

minutes

in the

ambulance

until a

doctor took

over

but the

boy died

less than

an hour

later and

now John

can't swim

at the

beach or

in a pool

or even

take a

bath without

searching

under the

water for

tiny hands.

Matthew Borczon is a poet from Erie, PA. He has been a nurse in a combat hospital as well as a county prison. He is currently taking care of adults with developmental disabilities. He has published eight book of poetry, the most recent is My Reality through Alien Buddha press. He publishes widely in the small press and when he is not working he is raising 4 kids with his wife of 22 years.