Saturday, September 24, 2016

Grace Paley / On Mother´s Day




On Mother’s Day
BY GRACE PALEY
BIOGRAPHY


I went out walking 
in the old neighborhood 

Look! more trees on the block   
forget-me-nots all around them   
ivy   lantana shining 
and geraniums in the window 

Twenty years ago 
it was believed that the roots of trees 
would insert themselves into gas lines 
then fall   poisoned   on houses and children 

or tap the city’s water pipes   starved   
for nitrogen   obstruct the sewers 

In those days in the afternoon I floated   
by ferry to Hoboken or Staten Island   
then pushed the babies in their carriages   
along the river wall   observing Manhattan   
See Manhattan I cried   New York! 
even at sunset it doesn’t shine 
but stands in fire   charcoal to the waist 

But this Sunday afternoon on Mother’s Day 
I walked west   and came to Hudson Street   tricolored flags   
were flying over old oak furniture for sale 
brass bedsteads   copper pots and vases 
by the pound from India 

Suddenly before my eyes   twenty-two transvestites   
in joyous parade stuffed pillows under   
their lovely gowns 
and entered a restaurant 
under a sign which said   All Pregnant Mothers Free 

I watched them place napkins over their bellies   
and accept coffee and zabaglione 

I am especially open to sadness and hilarity   
since my father died as a child   
one week ago in this his ninetieth year

Grace Paley
Begin Again: The Collected Poems of Grace Paley
Farrar, Straus and Giroux



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