Herbert F staggered <br />into the Teacher’s Center <br />made it to the couch <br />flopped next to me <br />saying, <br />“What a night! <br />I was a cross-dresser <br />in the dream. Her Royal Highness, <br />Bessie B. Clock, <br />threw a gala soiree. I wore high heels <br />and had on a low cut <br />black sequined dress <br />a fabulous blonde wig <br />when out of nowhere <br />Mr. Birnbaum appeared <br />wearing a red mini-skirt <br />and smiled at me <br />then said, ‘Don’t I know you? ’ <br />I said, ‘Why, sir, <br />my mother never allows me <br />to converse with old men.’ <br />He said, ‘I’ve been admiring you <br />from afar the entire evening.’ Suddenly <br />I kissed him on the lips, <br />then he keeled over. Everyone stopped <br />what they were doing <br />and looked at him. <br />A guy said, ‘I’m a doctor.’ Then he immediately <br />pounded his chest <br />after a few wallops <br />he said, ‘He is no more.’ <br />A thin man dressed <br />as a vampire said, ‘Poison lipstick <br />the kiss of death.’ <br />I said, ‘No, no. <br />I bought it at Woolworth’s.’ Nevertheless <br />‘The kiss of death’ <br />echoed around the room <br />and I woke up.” <br />The next day <br />a note appeared <br />over the time clock: <br />Mr. Nat Birnbaum <br />passed away last night <br />from a massive heart attack. Funeral <br />arrangements to be announced. <br />Herbert F moaned, <br />“Life, <br />how brief, how brief... <br />what do you make of it, Bernstein? <br />heart attack <br />coming the day after my dream.” <br />I said gently, <br />“You never mentioned <br />the color of <br />your lipstick.” <br />Herbert F became sullen <br />and I was about to speak when he said, <br />“It shouldn’t have ended like this: <br />dreaming of him in <br />red mini-skirt <br />after all, he won the Purple Heart.” <br />Suddenly <br />tears streamed from his eyes <br />and he whispered, <br />“In his youth <br />so long ago <br />a hero.”<br /><br />Charles Chaim Wax<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/unconquered-by-years/