Steve Halle (Palatine, Illinois, USA): from Map of the Hydrogen World: "to 3rd grade John who liked motorcycles"

for Roy Nathanson

john who liked motorcycles did it again,
wet his pants again (i found out later
he had a catheter) the other boys smelled
it and shot insults from across the classroom
like “hey pissy boy” or “smells like a urinal
in here” i sat next to john so i smelled
piss too but i didn’t mind so much
i talked to John and he laughed
so i knew he hadn’t heard the other guys
yet but my nostrils were giving out
and i couldn’t breathe for the urine
but i’ve got to keep talking
but i’m running out of things to say!
i fake it   i tell jokes   quote movies   anything—
gibberish     voices     vaudeville
john’s laughing harder now and the asshole
boys disappear blurring
into their desks until all i can hear
is my own voice speaking in tongues
and John roaring, reeking of piss.
it was my first poem.

© Steve Halle 2008