A Florida Childhood
A boyhood made of doodlebugs and bees
Would be too boring, so throw in a bear
His father shot and mother served with peas
And carrots and potatoes — bear meat flair
For lunch. Another time a coral snake
Was chopped up by his grandad with a hoe
A moment just before the fangs could take
The toddler to that night where mortals go.
Mosquitoes and black widow spiders spread
Across his nights and days. And then just get
This: once his father sliced a rattler head
From something he brought home for brothers’ pet.
One brother made some chlorine gas for fun.
These made a life not very far from stun.