Me,
My sisters Ruth and Bethany
Are the Dallas Youth Auxiliary
Quote: “Founded when Catholics wouldn’t dream of your job…”
That’s the slogan our Daddy
Suggested for the welcome poster
He tore in two
Then he locked us in the garden shed
Said, “Come out when you’re not communists!”
Quote: “At least you’re not all lesbians like that Quaker next door.”
Ruth said: “How could we be?
When Nixon is the Dick for us three…”
He let us out!
We stole his keys
After Bethany
Took a shovel to his knees
Quote: “Take the wheel, I’ll hit the gas – off to the New Frontier…”
We left Daddy crawling
Across the front lawn - in our side-view mirror
Was the paperboy running mad, calling out, screaming out for a ride
And we’re taking off
While you’re touching down, down, down
Hearts and flags a flutter
Thighs ‘ll turn to bu*ter
at Love Field
We jumped the curb of the parking lot
Ran to the tarmac, cut through the mob
Quote: “Peel that old bag from the fence, she’s not long for this world!”
And there was your smile,
like a gift behind the birthday wrapping
You took our hands
And our saddle shoes left the ground
Young debutantes over the crowd
Horn-rimmed gla**es turned reflecting
On a thousand days of waiting
Teenage hearts in palpitation
Coming down from expectation
Cigarettes all ‘round
Then the blue rinse in the floral dress
Tore us off the chain link fence
Shook hands with the President, her fist full of our hair
On tip-toes and waving
Quote: “We hope your stay is breath-taking!”
It sure was for
Me
My sisters Ruth and Bethany
Of the Dallas Youth Auxiliary
Quote: “Founded when misery couldn’t hold down a job.”
Returned to the car to find
Behind a crutch pointed like a rifle,
Our daddy saying,
“Gotcha, girls…
I gotcha girls…
I gotcha girls…
I gotcha girls…
…Pow…
…Pow…
…Pow…