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Here
by Grace Paley

Here I am in the garden laughing
an old woman with sagging breasts
and a nicely mapped face

how did this happen
well that’s who I wanted to be

at last        a woman
in the old style      sitting
stout thighs apart under
a big skirt       grandchild sliding
on       off my lap        a pleasant
summer perspiration

that’s my old man across the yard
he’s talking to the meter reader
he’s telling him the world’s sad story
how electricity is oil or uranium
and so forth         I tell my grandson
run over to your grandpa        ask him
to sit beside me for a minute      I
am suddenly exhausted by my desire
to kiss his sweet explaining lips

"Here," by Grace Paley, from BEGIN AGAIN: COLLECTED POEMS by Grace Paley, copyright © 2014 Grace Paley. Used by permission of Union Literary Agency.