First Memories

[Sex and Death]

My first memory.
1968. 6-8 months old.
Suspended
in the air above water
at the top of an arc
between going up
and coming down. Joy.
Laughing. In a public pool
Being tossed back and forth
between the hands of my father
and his best friend,
who I would come to call
uncle. Blue, blue sky.

My first public memory.
1969. 18 months old.
Green and orange
shag carpet. Staticy
black and white images, pictures.
TV, dials, light bronze frame, convex
screen. Bulky white-clad men
bouncing. Apollo 11.



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