Americans are Upbeat and Have No Time for Sorrow
I spot them on the street,
far from the school
two teenage boys,
both in tears,
clinging to each other
shamelessly
their coats tangled
backpacks dropped at their feet
fingers laced through each other’s hair
faces touching
their fear unmasked
their sadness real
and meaty
chewable
and
for just a moment
they pass it back and forth,
a thing most dear to them
and I want to grab them both
and tell them,
yes, cry now, boys
for just a moment
but when you’re done
for god’s sake
if they see you do that again
they’ll tear you apart.
--Ally Malinenko
(this poem was taken from Ally Malinenko's collection How to be an American
published with Six Gallery Press)
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