Page 20 - Contrast1984v26

HISTORY LESSON

The slow cool stream dad and I fished,
where the scouts sang and strove for
dominance, grandpa sat on the stump

and told me childhood stories I carefully
listened to and laughed at when he

tickled me, we all had a pleasing picnic
on the old qUilt blanket drinking cola
and eating tunafish on rye not noticing

the baggy pants clown with fat laughing lips
who stepped on a corner of our qUilt

and told us to get the fuck out while

grandma cried, climbing up the yew tree a puck
kicked my butt and when I ran after it

it threw dust in my eyes and it still pains
me to pee, my sister and I bathed and
a big-nosed salesman screamed but dad
and mom Were gone, dad in a fit of rage

at mini skirts hurled a stone and a herring

flung it at dad's head mumbling obscenities,
Jimmy shot himself at thirteen but Ben
wouldn't talk about him and kicked me

and when I ran after him that puck threw
more dust in my eyes and it troubles me

to sleep, but not before, when we slept under

paper stars burning around us and the tent I wished
collapsed on Ted, who drowned in the stream, and

on a yellow one and woke up wet, when I joined
construction I plowed the stream under
and the trees

except the puck escaped.

St~ven Ro~~man