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HELEN LEHNDORF

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The same bedtime story

 

Horses, apparently. Other animals, house-rabbits, loyal dogs.

Spinning around in circles quickly.

No eating wheat, not drinking milk.

Stopping your gut from leaking.

Beating drums, tocking xylophones.

Rubbing bare skin with a firm brush.

Doing what you have to do

to the fleas, worms, nits.

Soft clothing, always socks.

Going out swinging, swimming, singing.

Standing in traffic looking for police cars.

Sliding down between bed and wall. (Oh, the crush.)

The same bedtime story every night for three years.

 

Robbing the saints for their patience,

stepping wholly into the depth of the day.

 

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