by Virginia Watts

Poem published by The Write Launch

Mr. Memmi kneading dough
inside The Hershey Bakery
Mr. Memmi the first and only man
who got down on one knee for me
to hand me a hot, powdery roll
the size of my palm I placed
against my cold cheek in winter

Pronio’s Grocery Store
selling everything under the sun
from sausage to Snowy Bleach
Mr. Pronio’s with his utility knife
freeing plastic toys attached to products
She can have the giveaway prize
He would tell my mother
No need to buy anything, Mrs. Watts

Mr. Tulli fitting shoes, humming Sinatra tunes
Never asking annoying questions about school
Mr. Cagnoli’s flute lessons
accompanied by two Dalmatians
One head for his lap and one for mine
I’d pause and squeak, forget flats, sharps
On my way out, a candy bowl
Try to remember to practice this week if you can

Maybe the whole town was inside a bubble
A Five & Dime plastic snow globe
I know the flakes don’t fall by themselves
I know you have to shake up the world
to make a small miracle happen but look
Milton Hershey built a whole town
and a boarding school still birthing
one bright future after another
just by selling candy in this world

I don’t believe in the northern star
not any god, no blind hope of any kind
but I do believe in something
I was there and I saw it myself

Copyright © 2021 Virginia Watts. All rights reserved.