Beach Bones, by Sheila Duane

Poetry, chapbook, 28 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

Beach Bones is dedicated to the victims of the Long Island serial killer whose bodies have been found along Gilgo Beach and other nearby waterways. The murders of these people were horrific, and the aftermath was horrific as well.

News reporting about the discovery of the victims often stresses the women’s occupation as sex workers. There is less discussion about murdered human beings and more commentary about the fact that ‘choosing’ sex work as an occupation is dangerous.

Did these murdered women choose to be sex workers? Or did they become vulnerable due to generational poverty, poor education, addiction, and lack of other opportunities? What choices are available to women who have nothing? There are people in American society who are living in difficult conditions; sex work and poverty do not mitigate a person’s humanity and right to live.

Women have been othered, dismissed, and murdered throughout history. Although the past cannot be changed, the language we use to discuss these tragic events must acknowledge everyone’s humanity.

Sheila Duane is a community college writing teacher, poet, and playwright. Sheila is an alumnus of the Downtown Urban Arts Festival NYC; her plays, The Palmist, The Loom, Restoration Parts, and Extrajudicial have been chosen to be part of the festival for the last five years. Extrajudicial and Restoration Parts placed second and third respectively. Her plays have been produced in six states and her academic article on playwrighting is available in Waxing and Waning: “Experimental Music and Playwriting.”  (https://www.waxingandwaning.org/the-academy/experimental-music-and-playwriting-by-sheila-duane-_literature_/)