MADAME LA ZONGA

My father recited poems at night

Or sang stray things – cowboy dirges,

Radio commercials, sea shanties

And some I cannot classify.

Because of this I remain certain

That six lessons from Madame Lazonga

Would  have me doing the rumba

And also La Conga.  I can not dance

Only because we've never met.

Lillith who, over the years, has developed

A taste for the lullabies designed

To keep her at bay, later told me

That she often stood on the fire escape

And sometimes sang along.