Armed and Dangerous

She was careful not to look too long
keeping her eyes away, a hidden smile
enough to know they had created a plan
showing only her professional style

Once she was a beautiful golden blond
the years had stolen chances for love
men she chose couldn’t give her a future
she was the one on the side — a temporary situation

She worked hard in her job, gained trust
seventeen years with inmates and corrections
to a supervisory role in administration
Was she happy? Were there regrets and reflections?

A giant of a man, an inmate 6 foot 9
suspected of heinous crimes
She was on guard as he seemed to flirt
his eyes reminded her of happier times

She sold her house to gather cash
filed her retirement paperwork
the plan was falling into place
as they counted down the days and hours

Concocted a story to go to the courthouse
he was shackled in the Sheriff’s backseat
she in uniform and with a gun drove off, instead
to a vehicle waiting in the shopping center lot

They are on the run leaving Alabama
switching cars according to the plan
making a clean escape together
but how to hide a man of 6 foot 9?

About the Poem

A female corrections officer and an inmate apparently escaped together with indications they had a romantic relationship. The fascination of the “Bonnie and Clyde” scenario captures the interest of the news media and the public. Early investigation into what happened leading up to this escape presents only sketchy facts but plays with my imagination.

About the Author

Lois Perch Villemaire resides in Annapolis, MD where she is inspired by the charm of a colonial town and the glorious Chesapeake Bay. After retirement from a career in local government, she concentrated on her love of writing. Dabbling in family research led to memoir and creative nonfiction. Her prose and poetry have appeared in a number of journals and anthologies such as Ekphrastic Review, Flora Fiction, and One Art: A Journal of Poetry. Lois was a finalist in the 2021 Prime Number Magazine Award for Poetry. She enjoys yoga practice, amateur photography, and raising African violets.