parts of a dismembered woman found Monday afternoon
in the river district of Asheville NC

right where I walked the dog that same AM
and said aloud let's get out of here it stinks

later that same day another dog walker peered down into the ground
a missing grate in the curbside storm drain where

the road deadends into a set of concrete steps which ascend
toward a sidewalk along the I-240 bypass

that sidewalk leading up and into the downtown business sector
and there she spotted an arm and hand unit

plus one other hand lacking its arm
hoping she was seeing gloves but knowing she wasn't

making this the second time in two weeks
dismembered body parts were found in this neighborhood

that other time bones and the skull of a woman in the river
though not enough parts yet found to make a whole human

the more recent a place of thick brush and trees and constantly in shadows
often also used as a toilet

being as it is concealed from vehicular traffic
however often serving the purposes of those of us who travel by foot