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Cousins’ Club Picnic, 1955
by
Larry Levy

Les wears a whistle at his neck,

tooting to start the potato race.

Deena wins a plastic bird.

Eddie, losing, pitches ice

at Susie, who pretends she’s sick.

Ignoring her, Mom turns a card,

and to Mim and Evie hollers, “Gin.”

Helen gives her leg a kick

when Natie claims he nearly won.

Over buttered corn, we murmur grace,

grateful for our bread from earth.

Milt tosses Beverly out of breath.

Pa polishes off another ear,

always smiling, and slips me five.

He says it kept the police

in line back then, and him alive.

I have no idea what he means.

I want to win the fielder’s glove.

Les calls us into equal lines

and this time Arthur wins the prize.

For consolation, Bubbie hugs

the color from my Yankee face,

calls me by my Yiddish name.

Finally Nate announces time

for family photo. I see it now:

Libby shies away; Harvey mugs.

Dad, his arm around Mom’s waist,

a little tipsy from a schnapps,

has made a joke, and Joe, a toast.

Annie’s red head tosses back.

Mack, a lift about his lips.

And Perry’s smile, full of teeth.