Poem Eleven
Dear Harvey, Who’s about to be Born
Make sure you’re born on May 8.
Do not rush things and come out the day before.
Repeat: NOT THE DAY BEFORE!!!
That’s a good little boy…just cozy in and relax.
May 8 is a great day…three years after the Nazi’s surrendered to end the war.
The week the state of Israel will be formed – spurred on by an article in The Nation on May 8.
You’ve been dodging genetic bullets for a long time.
Great grandfather murdered in a Pogrom.
Grandfather escaping the Czar, alone as a teen.
Parents facing death and certainly no you if hitler had won and taken over America.
So just cozy in and surf that wave that rolls you out on May 8th , child of mother May.
Because May 7 is a Vietnam Draft Lottery death warrant…as is the tenth and eleventh!
If you are born any of those days you will definitely get drafted, way off in 1969.
So just relax and enjoy floating the pond.
Your ancestors have been through enough war.
You need to grow up in Philly and randomly go to Woodstock.
Then join a hippie commune to give you the idea of hitchin’ out west.
So you can leave on that summer vacation and never come back.
Rather than have to worry about that dirty ol’ Draft.
So chill out Harvey…it’s more important than you know!
Just chill…
♥️🌟
Thank you!
Harvey
Great poetic meandering through time, and the scary history of war. Love the idea of making sure your birthday is the right day!! I was going to comment about wishing I had been born a day early or later (I was born on a Friday the 13th) but your reason was so much more important!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Christy!
Harvey
Reading your bio and reading the poem, Harvey must have held on. Way to go!