YELLOW TAPE GUY by John Grey

I'm the guy with the yellow tape. I arrive 
after the first responders but before forensic,     
before the detectives in the suits who've 
seen all this before. I wrap that strip around 
fire plug, telephone pole, even a parked car 
and a mail box. I'm paid to separate the ones 
to whom death's only a job and the gathering 
crowds who are there for the novelty 
of bullet wounds and blood and tears. 
Some nights, I do nothing but sit back 
in my patrol car, sip coffee, maybe nibble 
on a donut, with yellow tape balanced 
on my knee, a whole mess of it in the 
passenger seat, a box of rolls in the trunk.
I don’t seek out tragedy. I don’t solve crimes.
I merely tape off the area, tape myself off 
in the process.

 

John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident, recently published in New World Writing, River And South and The Alembic. Latest books, “Bittersweet”, “Subject Matters” and “Between Two Fires” are available through Amazon. Work upcoming in Paterson Literary Review, White Wall Review and Flights.

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