She gave me this red Schwinn bicycle
With a bright chrome bell
And one of those horns that goes

HARRRRRRUGHHHH-HEEEEEE!

And she told me, "keep this for me,"
And she told me, "shh, it's a secret,"
And she told me, "if anyone asks,"
And she told me, "it's a brown paper bag,"
And she told me, "with a hole in the bottom."
And she told me, "so it's

just

empty."

And she put her hands
On my shoulders.
Her fingers dug in
like my Mom's voice.

"Got it?"

So I nodded.

But she never said anything
Any any any single thing
About taking it
For a velvet black ride
On a hot
Summer
Tuesday
Night.

Shh.