A Woman in the Hallway at a Book Party said This
At a book party she
looked at a photograph on the wall
Cornell she said. Forty years ago
my parents didn't want me to go. Don't you
leave New York my father yelled but I did
and the first week forty years ago
do you remember the school
said you have to go into that pool.
I don't swim I'm going to drown then I'll never
get back to New York I
went in flailing around maybe I was
drowning saying goodbye in my head
this is it I thought tried to yell but no one
heard me going under a student
with one leg jumped into the pool
on her only leg lifted me out she saved me
OK Carol get right back
into that water the instructor said.
Are you kidding?
Absolutely never.