Friday, April 29, 2005

Kymahni Clark: Thirteenth pregnancy

Thirteenth pregnancy

I remember a picture of myself and my father
in front of the diner car of the Santa Fe
he was a chef on the train
I remember him looking like a giant
standing up over me
He was tall and slim and handsome
He was wearing his best suit
which he bought with his first paycheck.
It was a zoot suit, with a chain
I remember he was holding a watch by the chain
and he would swirl it, he used to let me play with it
when my mother wasn’t around
I remember I was four in the picture
because we were still living in Fresno.

I remember his shoes,
they were Stacy Adams wing tips: black & white
with all those little holes
and they were very shiny.
I had patten leather Mary Janes
with ruffly socks, with a purse to match

My mother’s first husband worked on the Santa Fe
but he was killed. Then she met my father
I have a half-brother who is 25 years older
I was an accident, I wasn’t supposed to be
She miscarried and miscarried
I was her thirteenth pregnancy

Kymahni Clark

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