my niece is a tough old broad.
she's five, and she wears a bra,
blue striped blue.
the arm straps elude her.
she wriggles, says "It feels funny, but I
can live with it."
and i think of how she can--
she can withstand, how she knows
things at her age
i have at thirty-two finally remembered
and i see that she
will keep the bra
only because it's pretty
however to me it's clear:
she will live with nothing

12262003