70spoems/78memories

78 MEMORIES

She came looking for sorrow
in old dimestores
the cheap fifties ones
with left over fans
a memory from childhood
78s cost a quarter
baby got the BVD
blues

and parents
smash everything
throw away
pick up sticks
and harmonicas
dress girls in pink
send them to church early
to be molested
can’t trust a cousin
watch out for the preacher too

fear fear fear
is everywhere
Daddy carries it
in his hip pocket
Mama has it stacked
waist high in the pantry

all life is bad here
wheat is high
grasshoppers comin’
price of beans
down again
niggers won’t pick
the cotton.