artwork: ralph murre
Wealthy
by
Bruce Dethlefsen
after
my reading
a
very serious sixth grade girl
asked
me if I was wealthy
well
I said I have twenty-two
dollars
in my wallet right now
my
purple truck has two hundred
and
thirty-five thousand miles on it
I’m
wearing clean and mended clothes
I’ll
sleep in a warm bed tonight
I’ve
got my health my hands my eyes
my
family and friends who love me
and
I can come here to sennett middle school
to
read poetry to you guys for free
so
yes I’m very wealthy
wealthy
indeed
~
previously published in Unexpected Shiny
Things
(Cowfeather
Press)
