Fifth Annual Wild Violet Writing Contest Winners (2007)
Poetry
— First Place
This is Shelly Sechrest's first publication and award.
The
Hotel Clerk at 2:00 A.M.
By Shelly Sechrest
the lobby is empty
there is no sound except
the tip tap of a computer
keyboard
i search for chocolate
the clerk steps out of the
backroom and takes
my change for the twix
she is talkative
she grew up in West Texas
migrated to Houston in her 20's
there are underground tunnels
in downtown Houston
nobody walks the streets
in the summertime
there is a nice mall nearby…
and on an on
i return to my room at 2:30 a.m.
and eat my twix
still unable to sleep
i watch the digital clock
rollover to 3:30 a.m.
i listen to my breathing
then finally fall asleep
to memories of a girl
from West Texas