and we lived in another trailer court called Times Beach,
where four years before the trucks had sprayed dioxin on my street,
and it was still dusty after that, and
we lived in a commune in Catawissa, and almost
too many places
for me to remember.
But I remember everything.
At least, I remember everything I should,
and I remember other things as well.

This is what my mother always told me:

1. Colleen, there is nothing noble about being poor.

2. Colleen, don’t you ever let anyone tell you there is anything noble about being poor.

3. Just because you’re poor doesn’t mean you have to be dirty. Some people around here, they just let their kids run around all over this goddamn trailer park. They don’t wash their kids’ hair, they don’t wash their kids’ faces, why? Because they don’t give a shit that’s why, they just let em run around in the goddamn street like that.

4. Colleen, when you grow up, you can do whatever you want. You can be a doctor, or an artist, you’re so smart, and don’t you ever let anyone tell you you can’t.

5. Don’t be like me.

6. Don’t ever get married. It ain’t worth it.

7. Marry a rich man!

8. Never throw out your cardboard boxes when you move, because you never know when you’re gonna need em.

9. I wish I knew what to tell you.

10. Well, hon, I wish I knew what to tell you.

11. Babe, I sure do wish I knew what to tell you…but I just don’t.