Blackberry Juice

Blackberry Juice — page 7 — only more slobbery Every so often a huge tongue comes out and goes right up a nostril If people could do that there’d be a law against it Closer to the house I’m mobbed by a clucking crowd of chickens They peck at my shoes and shins and follow me up the stairs to the sagging porch On top of a small dirty fridge is a dented cookie tin labeled Munny Five egg cartons huddle inside the fridge the eggs so big the cartons have to be held shut with thick rubber bands I drop the coins into the tin Clink-clink The feathered mob is now tugging on my shoelaces Someone swings down to the porch from where The roof The sky They think your shoelaces are worms the girl says She’s wearing all orange orange T-shirt orange pants orange socks 7

Blackberry Juice — page 8 — orange shoes Her thick black braid is tied up with an orange elastic Her ﬁngernails are painted orange I’m guessing you’re a fan of the color between red and yellow I say 8

Blackberry Juice — page 9 — What do you mean Your um attire I am not a tire I mean your outfit By the way eggs is spelled with two g’s The girl scowls at me I made the sign when I was four She looks at the carton in my hand Most people drive up for their eggs I’m too young to drive Plus I live super close Next door in fact Since when Five minutes ago Maybe six your driveway is very long I squat and sort out my hen-pecked laces What’s your name the girl asks Cyrus Well Cy the girl says shimmying up a post enjoy the eggs-with-two-g’s 9

Blackberry Juice — page 10 — No one ever calls me Cy Rudy’s the one with the nickname Of course no one’s allowed to say his full name which is a great name if you’re a reindeer Dad says there was a famous artist named Cy Twombly I looked him up once His work was like scribbling which didn’t surprise me since his last name sounds like a scribble A scribble crossed with a mumble Hey I yell when I'm halfway down the driveway The girl is hauling herself over a railing onto a third-ﬂoor porch Mom would make me wear a helmet if I wanted to do that And elbow pads and knee pads And hockey pants and shin guards And my mouth guard Plus a seat belt What’s your name Pardon What’s your name I shout 10

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