In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

55 The Empty Lot For years, foolishly, the gray shell of basement stood unfinished, filled and drained with the weather, with snakes and small azure lizards and slime, but never minding, we lowered ourselves into all of it, expertly, covertly, ignoring our parents’ threats to keep away from that hole. But down we anyway went into its open grave, its gray muck trying to suck us under. It was worth lying, disobeying more than one commandment to know I was somewhere I couldn’t be seen, but could see what appeared to be everything, sky, sky, sky! I know why prisons have roofs! even when the perfect crosses of jet trails hung overhead to remind, I hunkered down, dug in the mud with my hands, flipped over flat rocks to witness the little paths tunneled beneath. squatting there, I remained hard-jawed, defiant. ...

Share