hiding & listening
is what we learned to do
brought up
not to ask questions
of people older than you
we’d hide under the table
as the beer flowed
the talk became free
gossip got sung
on money owed
who’d been doing things
out of the light of day
these strangers
I rarely saw heard speak
hiding & listening
there at their feet
getting understanding
why they hated each other so
none better than the other
just united by blood
