Monday, April 26, 2010

More than five times

Stealing

The first time,
I was four. Mom took me on a walk,
and just over the District Line
we found a tree shedding sweet
persimmons.
The second time,
I had a yen for the three-cent sinker
in the fishing aisle of
Youngblood’s Hardware. That, and
the bright green filament line.
The third time
I gave, letting Lena Walters
see my answer to the question
“How many candles fell
in Miss Havisham’s rotting parlor?
The fourth time,
it was a kiss, under the rampant horse
in Washington Park
with someone else’s
husband.
The fifth time was yesterday.
Or maybe there were six.
It’s hard to remember, to number
such sins.

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