Dark Memories and Demons

asphalt melts
black puddles of shimmering haze    
the gaze of two teens rest on    
a lonely child as he pedals   
clacks of pegged jokers    
clatter    
on the spokes of the rear tyre    
   
their approach is a hollering rush    
of violence      
they beat his face with fists and feet    
   
he trudges home head down    
shuffle steps  
bruises blossoming  
gutter stains burnt in with the heat  
tears drown out his sight    
   
where’s your bike boy    
the gravel crunch speaks in anger incarnate    
a sob story told of teens and conflict    
   
you’re pathetic 
a single slap cracks the boy to the ground    
hands scrape on rocky chunks    
knees ripped in bleeding hunks    
a boot to be sure the lesson is learned    
   
turned back out onto the roadway    
screwdriver in hand    
Get your bike and come back a man  
   
and I only had to stab the first one twice