Mothers of America <br /> let your kids go to the movies <br />get them out of the house so they won't <br /> know what you're up to <br />it's true that fresh air is good for the body <br /> but what about the soul <br />that grows in darkness, embossed by <br /> silvery images <br />and when you grow old as grow old you <br /> must <br /> they won't hate you <br />they won't criticize you they won't know <br /> they'll be in some glamorous <br /> country <br />they first saw on a Saturday afternoon or <br /> playing hookey <br />they may even be grateful to you <br /> for their first sexual experience <br />which only cost you a quarter <br /> and didn't upset the peaceful <br /> home <br />they will know where candy bars come <br /> from <br /> and gratuitous bags of popcorn <br />as gratuitous as leaving the movie before <br /> it's over <br />with a pleasant stranger whose apartment <br /> is in the Heaven on <br /> Earth Bldg <br />near the Williamsburg Bridge <br /> oh mothers you will have made <br /> the little <br /> tykes <br />so happy because if nobody does pick <br /> them up in the movies <br />they won't know the difference <br /> and if somebody does it'll be <br /> sheer gravy <br />and they'll have been truly entertained <br /> either way <br />instead of hanging around the yard <br /> or up in their room hating you <br />prematurely since you won't have done <br /> anything horribly mean <br /> yet <br />except keeping them from life's darker joys <br /> it's unforgivable the latter <br />so don't blame me if you won't take this <br /> advice <br /> and the family breaks up <br />and your children grow old and blind in <br /> front of a TV set <br /> seeing <br />movies you wouldn't let them see when <br /> they were young<br /><br />Frank O'Hara<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ave-maria/
