She tapped out rhythms
on my thigh and had me guess what song.
I don't know why the memory's
so strong,
whether we did this once or dozens of times.
I'd bet that years corrupt the recollection.
But I think she was smiling. I think there was an ease
in her fingers then. I wanted so much to please
her with my answers, to
feed her affection-
"Fairest Lord Jesus." "My Country Tis of Thee"--
to keep her smiling. To keep her touching me.
Angier Brock Caudle lives in Richmond VA and teaches poetry at the Virginia Commonwealth University.