A Redheaded Girl
born at a time to wonder
about the numbers on her arm
too young to ask about memories
when we played on the steps
of my great-grandfather’s apartment house
your redheaded joy never
hinting at the brutality you survived
you survived for all of us
to carry a historical burden
not understood as a child
felt deeply as an adult
responsible to know and share
over and over and over
inward and outward sensibilities
because freckled girls
and curly-haired boys
may never laugh together again
but need to make sure
their children do
without numbers on their arms
…..
This poem is from the chapbook Boychik Poems by Barry Vitcov (Finishing Line Press), and can be found at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/boychik-poems-by-barry-vitcov/
Barry Vitcov lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife and exceptionally brilliant standard poodle. His poetry and short stories have appeared in a variety of publications, including: EAP: The Magazine, Literary Yard, The Scarlet Review, Fiction on the Web, Labyrinth, Mobius Blvd., Black Sheep, Dark Horses, Jefferson Review, and The Rapids: An Art & Literature Journal of Southern Oregon. He has had four books published by Finishing Line Press, a collection of poetry, Where I Live Some of the Time (2021); a collection of short stories, The Wilbur Stories & More (2022); a chapbook collection of poems Structures (2024); and a novella The Boy with Six Fingers (2025). In addition to this chapbook Boychik Poems, FLP will be published a collection of short stories Unknown & Other Stories in early 2026.
The Paddock Review 