Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2005 - 5:07 pm:

 
 
On a recollection 
shared by Dave Brubeck 
 
On a fair day 
some time during 
a fair week my father 
took me to see 
                 my first 
                          black man. 
 
I was young. 
 
They talked for a while about 
nothing much and at length 
Dad said, "Open up 
your shirt for him." 
 
The man unfastened each 
button slowly watching 
me all the while. 
With big hands he held 
the fabric wide apart. 
Even then 
 
young as I was 
                 it was 
unbelievable. 
 
My father spoke 
out of his deepest self 
"These things can’t happen." 
 
Eyes closed 
I still see 
             it burned in 
                          as real 
 
as this fair morning. 
This man- 
This black man who was 
my father's friend- 
who talked quietly 
                          laughing 
at times about nothing much 
wore on his chest 
 
a brand.