Arlyn's Poems * CROHN'S POEMS

CROHN'S POEMS

TICKETS REMEMBERED

I take you to the theater
We buy tickets
laughing at the lady
in line in front of us
as she tries for the perfect seats
then until the show starts
we go to dinner

I begin to list
all the times I took you
to the theater
When you were 18 months
I sat in the aisle seat
so I could leave if you got restless
at your cousin's dance recital
You were transfixed
The curtain went down
and you sat there calling
"more, more"

When you were two
I took you to
the Nutcracker
where I pulled you back
just in time
as you tried to go over the
balcony to get to the dancers

And do you remember ANNIE
You were five
and complained loudly about the seats
but loved the show
No, you don't remember
And you saw CATS
and INTO THE WOODS
and Molier's THE INVALID
Oh, that was funny
"and AS YOU LIKE IT,"
you remind me

We are laughing
as the salad comes
We go to the play
and don't we love it
Your headache starts
near the first intermission
But you don't mention it
Through the last act
it's almost too much
you are nauseous
but the play is so wonderful
you tough it out

We run up at the curtain
for a closer look
as Julie Harris
takes her bows
on that stage you someday
wish to occupy
"Do you see her?"
I yell, as everyone claps
You are happy to have
seen her close

We go home
and you throw up
We are awake all night
and I remember other tickets
that I do not mention
The Bolshoi Ballet
we sat in intensive care throughout

The Moshev Dancers
that you spent on your knees
in the bathroom
We left at intermission
and you were to sick
to even cry
"We missed them,"
you said
"But we saw three dances
before we left," I said
"The colorful costumes
They jumped so high
We saw three dances."