Tom Sterner writes and shoots

cats' eyes

(introduction to cats' eyes)

~my brothers & I were ashamed & afraid~

~living in the west Denver housing projects in the sixties~

~it wasn’t the taunting of turf bullies that scared us~

~we were poorer than the people there~

~hiding out~

~living with our auntie~

~had to keep our noses clean & mouths shut~

~if someone snitched us out for being there~

~we’d be tossed out~

~then what~

~cats' eyes~

~cats’ eyes stare~

~from under cars~

~I used to shoot them~

~when I was a boy~

~rounds of four-hole~

~& poison when you reached it~

~five-pot in the middle~

~I remember circles~

~drawn with crooked sticks~

~in fresh summer dirt~

~steelies & aggies~

~hot sun & glass orbs~

~ball-bearings far from the wound~

~of their greased sleeves~

~pockets worn into holes~

~bare feet & stone bruises~

~wrestling in the housing projects~

~with brown children~

~beaten for a dime~

~proud as a piss-ant~

~& twice as hungry~

~cats’ eyes tied~

~into knots in a bag~

~cobwebs~

~a box of old shoes~

~spider bones & ashes~