Begin Again: Collected Poems
by Grace Paley

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Book Reviews of Begin Again: Collected Poems

Book Review: Smile, cry, mourn, love
Summary: 5 Stars

I offer one of Paley's poem that is all too relevant today.

I Gave Away That Kid

I gave away that kid like he was an old button
Here old button get off of me
I don't need you anymore
go on get out of here
go into the army
sew yourself onto the colonel's shirt
or the captain's fly jackass
don't you have any sense
don't you read the papers
why are you leaving now?

That kid walked out of here like he was the cat's pajamas
what are you wearing pj's for you damn fool?
why are you crying you couldn't
get another job anywhere anyways
go march to the army's drummer
be a man like all your dead uncles
then think of something else to do

Lost him, sorry about that the President said
he was a good boy
never see one like him again
Why don't you repeat that your honor
why don't you sizzle up the meaning
of that sentence for your breakfast

why don't you stick him in a prayer
and count to ten before my wife gets you

That boy is a puddle in Beirut the paper says
scraped up for singing in church
too bad too bad is a terrible tune
it's no song at all how come you sing it?

I gave away that kid like he was an old button
Here old button get offa me
I don't need you anymore
go on get out of here
go into the army
sew yourself onto the colonel's shirt
or the captain's fly jackass
don't you have any sense
don't you read the papers
why are you leaving now?

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