Lessons

by Tanya Cromartie-Twaddle

Grandma taught me 

Pee in a can 

On cold chill-like nights 


Keep a can right at 

Yo bedside 

No need stepping 

On cold floor boards 

So 

I did 

Hot pee 

Cold can 

Woke into crisp 

Mornings        to find         cockroach 

Drowned 

In late night release 

Floating                             Me responsible 

Grandma Saying 

It don’t matta Chile 

Who need roaches

Riverwest Currents - Volume 1 - Issue 4 - May 2002