Just Beyond Reason

She eyes the almost Arabic boy who
Rents the boats, eats her ice cream
And leaves the wafer. Her mother
Worries about her weight.
Fourteen, braces, too shy to
Slip off the shirt matching her
Blue bikini. Her father
Born in Russia, raised in China,
Teaches at Berkeley, advises Presidents,
Laments his sonıs poor grades in Russian.
Itıs great when your fatherıs a laundry
Man and you become a college professor,
But what happens when your fatherıs
A professor and you become a laundry man?
She challenges me to swim to the rocks.
My father swims with his head out of water.
He learned in the sewers of Tientsin.
Mother leaves to paint the hills and whitewashed
Domes of Atrani. After dinner she waits for Vittorio
To finish his meal with the family.
Arm in arm they leaves to tour the cafes
While Amy listens on the terrace:
Grown-ups are always telling you
What theyıve done and kids
What theyıre going to do.
Rents the boats, eats her ice cream
And leaves the wafer. Her mother
Worries about her weight.
Fourteen, braces, too shy to
Slip off the shirt matching her Blue bikini. Her father Born in Russia, raised in China, Teaches at Berkeley, advises Presidents, Laments his sonıs poor grades in Russian. Itıs great when your fatherıs a laundry Man and you become a college professor, But what happens when your fatherıs A professor and you become a laundry man? She challenges me to swim to the rocks. My father swims with his head out of water. He learned in the sewers of Tientsin. Mother leaves to paint the hills and whitewashed Domes of Atrani. After dinner she waits for Vittorio To finish his meal with the family. Arm in arm they leaves to tour the cafes While Amy listens on the terrace: Grown-ups are always telling you What theyıve done and kids What theyıre going to do. Rents the boats, eats her ice cream And leaves the wafer. Her mother Worries about her weight. Fourteen, braces, too shy to Slip off the shirt matching her Blue bikini. Her father Born in Russia, raised in China, Teaches at Berkeley, advises Presidents, Laments his sonıs poor grades in Russian. Itıs great when your fatherıs a laundry Man and you become a college professor, But what happens when your fatherıs A professor and you become a laundry man? She challenges me to swim to the rocks. My father swims with his head out of water. He learned in the sewers of Tientsin. Mother leaves to paint the hills and whitewashed Domes of Atrani. After dinner she waits for Vittorio To finish his meal with the family. Arm in arm they leaves to tour the cafes While Amy listens on the terrace: Grown-ups are always telling you What theyıve done and kids What theyıre going to do.