Orange Street swing, 1953

i tore my finger in the swing set
and blood just jumped into the air
as i ran from the pain nowhere
in particular but screaming and such
until an Aunt who never spoke much
yelled and grabbed me as i cried
she said People will think you died
then Oh my God, get in the house right now
as she held my right hand all red and squeezed.
if Doc Barr can save this, he'll be pleased
as will your mom. Let's wrap this mess
and wash it in iodine, i guess
and then i remember the needle and nurse
but i was too young to know how to curse.
i still have it
but it looks sorta weird
the skin on that fingers' not flat
it's lumpy and tiered
but the nail
without fail
still grows.
So it goes.