Wednesday, February 28, 2024

HOW JOURNALISTS KEEP SCORE

by David Feela




For Gail Binkly & the 4CornersFreePress 9/2003 - 2/2024


Sitting in the back row 
at another public meeting 
listening to what’s spoken
hearing what’s not said 
measuring the distance between these goals 
where truth gets kicked around
to make a few cheap points

Every meeting is a scrimmage  
moving a pencil or pen 
pushing a digital button 
collecting every word 
rewinding & fast-forwarding 
late into the night 
until the players are realigned 
in an orderly fashion

As paragraphs emerge 
on a plain white field
the story’s noise gets hushed
an extended replay
an understanding
as if the game depended on more 
than who simply won or lost


David Feela writes monthly columns for The Four Corners Free Press and The Durango Telegraph. Unsolicited Press carries his latest chapbook Little Acres. His out-of-print collection of essays How Delicate These Arches—a finalist for the Colorado Book Award—is available once more, but this time as an ebook.