precipitation

Precipitation


Rain, but I couldn’t get out brother had the raincoat
it was made of plastic and big as a tent: often walked
around in it when it wasn’t raining, it made me feel
heroic, also I had tuberculosis and must avoid getting
wet, mother had coupons to buy creamy milk and white
bread just for me; brother was jealous, I refused to share
with me, said I was weak and would soon die and then
he would eat my bread and drink my milk; I cried.
Yet a couple from the council came, mother packed
a suitcase and off to a sanatorium I went. Two years is
a long time when coming back home I noticed how poor
we were, there was free milk and bread for everyone,
but brother wasn’t there he had gone to sea as a deck boy,
he had sent her a letter from Aruba, and later a postcard
from New York, I wanted to join the merchant navy too,
but had to drink more milk first.