Constantly in trouble for talking

back every word I said considered

sass, I took to singing memorized

lyrics almost without effort and

found words I could sing

but couldn’t say, my theme

song Hey Jimmy John Joe Jim Jack

 

shouted from the clotheslines

my favorite part, /don’t do this

and don’t do that you might

as well just be a statue/ and

my mother not believing in

radio beyond the news

discounted how I set my

heart into the meaning

 

behind each note, shouted

to the skies for freedom

left my dress sash untied

my shoes fastened by

only one buckle, hurled

the kitchen slops right

on the rooster I hated

popped the blue rubber

band from the newspaper

right into the forsythia

and it felt Oh, so good!