Kids
Kids
One day
Dad said:
I’ ear yuh tekkin’ int kids.
I Am
I said:
‘tekkin’ int kids’
Dad said :
Thar’s a good thing ta do
Is tekkin’ int kids.
I said: If you only knew what it
means to ‘tek int kids’
OH?! Dad said:
Gimme an example.
Well, I said:
This one kid.
He wet the bed and stacked dirty
plates high on shelves and he
wouldn’t let anyone into his room.
He said:
I’m only waiting til I’m old enough to get a place at the YMCA.
The manageress says she will save me a place.
Some kids are angry. Some kids are sad.
Some kids are hurting and waiting to find a place.
After six months I thought it was time
to open the door to his locked room.
The bed was wet. Plates stacked high on shelves
It stank and I wondered how he kept himself clean.
Turned out he went home. Each day.
For a deep bath, a meal and to watch TV.
While he waited until he turned eighteen
To take up the place that the manageress kept.
His place. A place. At the YMCA.
Copyright © Marilyn George | Year Posted 2026
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