Mulberry Street Branch My dress fell off my shoulders in horror I thought you were younger, it said and fell to the floor onto a pile of books I’ll for a more deserving body, it sneered with smoother knees and perkier elbows I print my poems in public libraries My favorite is the Mulberry branch with its sub-basement and cool brick walls handsome dredlocked men young serious librarians with cool glasses who dance with Marlon Brando at midnight rows of my favorite children books where the wild things are madeline and the bad hat immigrant pint-sized heroes emerge madlenka and her dog chunkit and his parrot I step over my dress when I get home You should have your own printer it says You wander the streets like an aging urchin Wear your black jeans and boots every day I don’t care if it’s ninety two degrees Dresses like me – they are not for you ©Puma Pearl