Born 84 Years Ago Today

AVE MARIA

Frank O'Hara

Mothers of America
             let your kids go to the movies!
get them out of the house so they won't know what you're up to
it's true that fresh air is good for the body
             but what about the soul
that grows in darkness, embossed by silvery images 
and when you grow old as grow old you must
             they won't hate you
they won't criticize you they won't know
             they'll be in some glamorous country
they first saw on a Saturday afternoon or playing hookey

they may even be grateful to you
             for their first sexual experience
which only cost you a quarter
             and didn't upset the peaceful home
they will know where candy bars come from
             and gratuitous bags of popcorn
as gratuitous as leaving the movie before it's over
with a pleasant stranger whose apartment is in the Heaven
    on Earth Bldg
near the Williamsburg Bridge
             oh mothers you will have made the little tykes
so happy because if nobody does pick them up in the movies
they won't know the difference
             and if somebody does it'll be sheer gravy
and they'll have been truly entertained either way
instead of hanging around the yard
             or up in their room
             hating you
prematurely since you won't have done anything horribly mean yet
except keeping them from the darker joys
             it's unforgivable the latter
so don't blame me if you won't take this advice
             and the family breaks up
and your children grow old and blind in front of a TV set
             seeing
movies you wouldn't let them see when they were young