After the orphanage, at 16, but Before the marriage, at 19, My mother lived in Manhattan, And she and my uncle, gamblers both, Hoping for an extra nickle, and Brash and youthful, would enter The late ’30’s dance competitions. I guess they never won, for if they Had, my mother would have told Me with pride, for she loved To dance, and loved to win! Watch out for the duel to the death Scrabble game on a weekend outing. So 16 or 17 or 18, seated on the handlebars Of a bicycle my uncle secured — all his life He had two wheeled riding machines — She’d balance elated, as he pedal with Fury through Manhattan streets to The next dance contest.
So beautiful. I could picture them clearly in my mind.
Sending you lots of hugs