A

it was my friend nicholson who told me
the story of the chicken wire mother
one night in maryann's eating nachos
in the east village with his girlfriend rosa
it's strange; he started talking about his mother
and how she never wanted to touch his body
even when he was sick and needed gentleness
which is funny because she was a doctor
and since my own mother is a psychologist
this kind of struck me as a bit familiar
what is it about growing up in the suburbs?
sterility that breaks out in hysteria
memories of cheerios and formica
where do we fit among the kitchen tiles?
too many anxieties left unconscious
which is why we hang around in the village
which is why we sit there talking about past feelings
which is the story of the chicken wire mother

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