Mean Words

i keep words fucking hell
so much in my remember it still there and never leaves
it came through open window
a very mean voice
was not mommy's but daddy's voice maybe
i was in my crib it was very dark
but i could see the bars and open window
but then i hide under the blanky
so mean voice could not see me
Get the fucking hell out of the alley
i knew outof and even alley
alley is outside my window where i run up and down
and daddy and mommy count how fast
hell is a word my daddy says alotand mommy also sometimes
but fucking is scary
it strange word said by mean loud voice
with blue crayon i put mean words
on mommy's white paper where mommy remembers things
but mommy says my blue words are squiggly
squiggly is tickly word makes me laf
i used more squigglys for fucking than other mean words from window
i want to remember
get the fucking hell out of the alley
so when mean words come through window again
i close my eyes say it back and scare all mean words away

—Richard Fein, Brooklyn, NY

 

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