HOW TO SIT.

Mother said never
Sit with your legs
Crossed; it isn’t a

Bit ladylike, makes
You look like some
Common whore, she

Insisted in that moany
Voice she had which
Grated on the ears and

Drove Father away into
The arms of a mute or
So you heard. You wonder

If people really think
That about women who
Sit crossed legged.

You never do nowadays.
You sit prim and proper,
Legs together, knees

Touching, shoes against
Each other tightly. Body
Language tells all, Mother

Said, men can tell by a
Woman’s body language
What she’s thinking and

What she wants, so sit
Prim and proper, Lucy,
Don’t let me down now,

Girl, she’d say, giving you
The dark eyed stare, slapping
Your thighs if you crossed

The legs or sat with legs
Apart too wide.  You sit
And hold you hands upon

Your lap, knees together,
Everything to hide, fingers
Tight. Mother’s dead now,
But she still might slap.