"come along fellow wizards" by J. R. Wilkerson

we’re walking, 

we’re walking this graveyard  

and i’m your conductor 

and if you read the tombstones 

here's who must not be named and  

here's the worst poet in scotland so 

from this spot you can see 

from here, the school the castle 

rather, it’s quite striking 

rather moving innit, you can 

see the esplanade erm quidditch pitch 

see, i'm not 

a local, really 

a schoolteacher in civilian life but 

yes, we’re aware of the author   

yes, it’s a bad look but please 

let’s save our comments for the duration 

let's keep our questions  

for the conclusion  

for we have our wands in hand because 

on this tour there’s magic 

on every corner—  

the shops on victoria street 

the tower and turrets 

can you hear the pipers busking 

can you smell the rain on cobblestones 

mind the crosswalk now, please 

mind your children, oh 

ma’am  

ma’am, your child has turned loose  

but don’t fret ain’t lost one yet 

but on second thought— 

run for it young one, 

run 

you can begin again 

you can start a new life 

J. R. Wilkerson is a DC-area poet by way of the Ozarks. His scribblins have been featured in Roi Fainéant Press, Voidspace, Memezine, The Broken Spine, with forthcoming publications in The Twin Bill and One Fall Review.