Begin Again: Collected Poems

The poetry in this book is a gift. I borrowed this book from the library, but it is now on my Christmas list.I offer one of Paley's poem that is all too relevant today.I Gave Away That KidI gave away that kid like he was an old buttonHere old button get off of meI don't need you anymorego on get out of herego into the armysew yourself onto the colonel's shirtor the captain's fly jackassdon't you have any sense don't you read the paperswhy are you leaving now?That kid walked out of here like he was the cat's pajamaswhat are you wearing pj's for you damn fool?why are you crying you couldn'tget another job anywhere anywaysgo march to the army's drummerbe a man like all your dead unclesthen think of something else to doLost him, sorry about that the President saidhe was a good boynever see one like him againWhy don't you repeat that your honorwhy don't you sizzle up the meaningof that sentence for your breakfastwhy don't you stick him in a prayerand count to ten before my wife gets youThat boy is a puddle in Beirut the paper saysscraped up for singing in churchtoo bad too bad is a terrible tuneit's no song at all how come you sing it?I gave away that kid like he was an old buttonHere old button get offa meI don't need you anymorego on get out of herego into the armysew yourself onto the colonel's shirtor the captain's fly jackassdon't you have any sense don't you read the paperswhy are you leaving now?