in the same breath

he bumps into men
black white yellow
hardly notices, eyes far away...
a child by the road
glumly inspecting his soaked and tearing
lil paper boat.
he bends down to touch a tear
fumbles for paper
a 10 buck note
crisp like needed
a new boat new stories
sail down the puddle
smiles at that smile
that clap and that jump.

"the boy's a jew"
hope he doesn't learn
white from yellow
and the line through jerusalem
let his religion be the sailing
and the puddle his land.