1958 | Judy Brekke my toes tingled with prickly pins cotton balls wedged between them I walked without feet we would fight arms pulled legs kicked me and my friend with black cropped hair bill cosby LP blared as her brothers and sister cheered our wrestling on rough grey carpet her dad in white apron red spotted blood of meats stained the counter of his "mom & pop" market her mother drank beer in local bowling alley balls clunked and spun pinball bells wailed smoke circled overhead bald babies sat in screen cages poked and prodded chubby arms buddha bodies we slept outside sparking fireflies darted heat lightning simmered in moist summer night no one spoke except frogs croaked in darkness of summer mist and my toes tingled Judy L. Brekke

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