Pretty-Legs!

sixth grade boys' basketball team I was on
bunch of girls
feet dangling from the stage at the far
end of the gym—
all becoming possessed
by the hilarity
of my beautiful legs
Pretty-Legs!
they kept yelling

ringleader Kathy from Louisiana
tangy drawl
always sweet on
playing tether ball after school
barefoot
and when the rope had wound all the way around
and the ball got stuck
she shimmied up the pole

or in the public swimming pool
she pulled my trunks out
from my belly and put 

her face down in the water to look

hearing Kathy shout Pretty-Legs! 

was both flattering and embarrassing
I certainly couldn’t prevent her from doing it
and I have to say that even now all these years later
I feel changed