Shaindel Beers


Stretching out that fifteen minutes

Exploding flashes of cameras.  Crackle of microphones magnifying wind.  So much 
attention.  Dizzying.  Unreal.  Excited yips of dogs picking up the scent.  Beating down 
rows and rows of corn.  Looks like a TV special on crop circles.  Shouts, sometimes 
carried far on prairie breeze, Kohhhhh-Deeee, sometimes choked down throats in the 
rasping wind, Koh-dee.  Internal film reel replaying pleas on Channel 22 News—
Please help me find my son. . .   I just want Cody back.  If you’ve seen him . . .  Pull 
picture out of purse. Look imploringly at Camera One.  Sheriff warns of gopher traps 
set in fields, pack of wild dogs spotted on Johnson’s farm down the road.  Not trying 
to scare you, Ma’am.  Just want you to be prepared.  Just in case.  Neighbors bring 
over dinner so you won’t have to cook, more important things to worry about, but 
you still need to eat.  So much food—peach cobbler, beef and noodles, a whole ham, 
peanut butter pie—so nice of them.  Watch for his face on the nine o’clock news.  
Wonder how many hearts are breaking—that poor woman.  Darling little boy, only 
six years old.  How many gruff men saying,  Damn kids shouldn’t play in cornfields, 
'course you’ll get lost--nothing but corn for miles.  And they crush the corn.  Next 
morning, sunup, search resumes.  Everyone soaked in dew, chipper, hopeful, 
volunteers handing out free Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.  Feature local story on the early news 
at five—weary farmers watch for trading price of grain, soybeans, hogs, over 
morning coffee.  Bewildered cry of a hound, excited shouts, Over here!  We found him!  
Large man has swooped him up.  He was just here, huddling between the rows.  
Sheriff brings mylar blanket.  He’s cold, but he’ll be fine!, he announces.  Crowd 
cheers.  Your few minutes of fame are up—next time, you’ll have to hide him better.









Shaindel Beers is currently a professor of English at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton , Oregon . 
 Her poetry, fiction, and social commentary have been widely published in journals and anthologies.  
She serves as Poetry Editor of Contrary (www.contrarymagazine.com) and as a poetry book reviewer for www.BookSlut.com .