—for perfidious protectors <br /> <br />I was playing in the street <br />no one paid attention to me <br />as I made forms out of sand <br />mumbling Rimbaud under my breath <br /> <br />once an elderly gentleman overheard it <br />—little boy you are a poet <br />just now we are organizing <br />a grass-roots literary movement <br /> <br />he stroked my dirty head <br />gave me a large lollypop <br />and even bought clothes <br />in the protective coloring of youth <br /> <br />I didn’t have such a splendid suit <br />since first communion <br />short trousers and a wide <br />sailor’s collar <br /> <br />black patent leather shoes with a buckle <br />white knee-high socks <br />the elderly gentleman took me by the hand <br />and led the way to the ball <br /> <br />other boys were there <br />also in short trousers <br />carefully shaven <br />shuffling their feet <br /> <br />—well boys now it’s time to play <br />why are you standing in the corners <br />asked the elderly gentleman <br />—make a circle holding hands <br /> <br />but we didn’t want tag <br />or blindman’s buff <br />we had enough of the elderly gentleman <br />we were very hungry <br /> <br />so we were seated promptly <br />around a large table <br />given lemonade <br />and pieces of cake <br /> <br />now disguised as adults <br />with deep voices <br />the boys got up they praised us <br />or slapped us on our hands <br /> <br />we didn’t hear anything <br />didn’t feel anything <br />staring with great eyes <br />at the piece of cake <br />that kept melting <br />in our hot hands <br />and this sweet taste the first in our lives <br />disappeared inside our dark sleeves<br /><br />Zbigniew Herbert<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/how-we-were-introduced/
