About That Day

By. Ashanti White

It disappeared into the glass
like a diver slicing through a pool of water
except the splashes were smoke. The scene
could have been beautiful but the image was
too terribly surreal to create anything but pain.
Anger hate and resentment would come later
but they could not break through the initial crash.
The second moved too but not so smoothly. Its ball
made more commotion as cerise lit the sky.
Blink and you may have missed it
briefly shielding yourself from a crushing blow to the chest.
I wondered if they saw them before they touched.
Perhaps Tom caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye
as he sipped the cool water from his cup. Or maybe
Jenny looked up from her computer to see
an unnatural shadow blocking the sun before
she opens her mouth. Nothing comes out.
I imagine that it took their breath away as it claimed mine
in debris. I did not hear their cries
nor see their faces as I saw them perish in a dream
but I said a little prayer
hoping they did not see.





Ashanti White attained her Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is currently Assistant Editor of DV8 Magazine Atlanta. Her works have appeared in numerous publications, including The Carolinian, Black Enterprise, and Timeless Voices. Ashanti is currently completing her first novel. Email Ashanti at
alwdct@yahoo.com