They Say It's Magic

Something I wrote in early 2001... It was sent to me tonight. I somehow managed to completely lose and forget this piece.

I'm lucky to have friends that are more careful with my work than I am.

"Don't tell mom," he said
Sweaty palms hand coins to the barker
And we duck through the tent flap
They say it's magic

What follows is a tired rendition
Card tricks I've seen before
Mind reading shills in the audience
And, of course, invisible string

"For my final trick, I'll saw a woman in half."
Queued, she dances onstage
Raven hair streaming
Her outfit three sizes too small

I feel a nudge in the dark
"It's all smoke and mirrors,"
But his eyes never leave her
The magic is secondary

She does a slow bump and grind
Vaults into the box
Winks to the crowd
And proceeds to be halved

The boxes roll apart on squeaky casters
Her gaze momentarily stopping on me
Toes wiggling, she gives a small smile
Full of crooked teeth

Restored under cover of a dirty sheet
The box opens, revealing her whole again
Writhing having shifted her top
Leaving a dark nipple exposed

"That's the show folks. Next one in ten minutes,"
Hot lead in my belly
I pull my jacket down as we exit the tent
Concealing the guilty bulge in my pants

"Good show… you think?"
I mumble assent, kicking up sawdust
Guess your weight… 25 cents
Too good to pass up