first love

––they told me: watch the cars

don’t get bumped.

stay away from the ledge.

they said: don't drown at the ledge.

he said: bend your knees

close your stance

choke-up

go get me some Luckies.

she said: clean your plate

there are kids in China.

she said: go get your father some Luckies.

––her name is Bernadette

her hair is yellow

the miner said gold

the poet said meadow

her hair is yellow

we sat on the edge of the stairs

to the porch of her house.

––her name is Bernadette 

the setting sun drapes

a violet's tint across her dress.

she said it's late

she said we shouldn't

her hair is yellow

she said let go

she said let go.

I said:
read my poem.

Quequechan, c.'53