Reading

I read poetry today,
On the steps of Sproul Hall
Amplified, echoing
The day was bright and hot in the sun
Cool in the shade
So I wished I hadn't chosen to sit there
On the plaza
Where the tear gas used to burn
And Mario Savio fought for free speech
I read a poem about "dying in",
A protest to the nuclear arms race of the 50s and 60s
And a poem about getting a call to a wrong number
And ending up right where I was
I turned up my hearing aids as loud as I could
Heard the ambient crowd pulsing
Across the steps
And the poets voice floating high above it all
And at one point I remembered the jar of jam
I left at Andre's house

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Copyright E. Bond Francisco 2008