Nude On A Bearskin Poem by Willem VanVoorthuysen

NUDE ON A BEARSKIN

The three of us were having lunch together,
my mom, myself and the young lady
to whom she had just introduced me.

We chatted about the dishes on the menu,
the latest tennis and soccer game results,
the weather, and the war.

I knew my mom's great sense of humor, and
her surprising timing of the practical jokes
she liked to play on us, her children.

But then, she suddenly asked the lady, smiling,
if she would like to see a picture
of m e in the n u d e....

I thought poor Mom had lost her mind,
and all that I could utter was a whispered,
desperate, 'M o m? ! ? ! ...

Then, after a moment of consternation,
uncertain whether to laugh or leave
the lady, kindly, tactfully said,

'Oh, no! You can't be serious, Auntie! '
'I am, ' Mom said, and showed her
my old bare-butt-baby-on-bearskin picture!

©Willem VanVoorthuysen
09/14/2006