The Cedarville Review 2018

18 THE CEDARVILLE REVIEW In the mouth of the receiver And unraveled the subtle secrets Caught between still frames of motion. Double speed forward and a line Down the screen in reverse. I used to slide the tapes out of their cardstock boxes Up and down up and down Coming out cool against my child hand The edge catching sometimes On that little white button whose purpose Was to loosen a too tightly wound cassette. If the packaging was white plastic, I would pop the connecting tabs loose And smell the queer chemicals Emanating from the picture possessor. I also used to sit too close to the screen Just to hear the subtle hum given off From the warm VCR while the warnings Displayed in oscillating silence.