Anselm Berrigan

I Remember Hearing Joe Read

I remember hearing Joe Brainard read his poem
    “I remember”
at the Ear Inn when I was eight or nine years old.

I remember that of all the poets I had heard read
    up to that point
Joe was not only the best, but the only one who
    was any good at all.

I remember Joe reading “I remember putting socks
    down my pants
to make it look like I had more,” and wondering if
    he was serious.

I remember going home not too long after the reading
    and putting socks
down my own pants to see what I would look like
    if I “had more.”

I remember feeling embarrassed, and thinking I
    didn’t want anyone
I knew seeing me have more.

I remember taking the socks out and thinking
    poets should keep
their ideas to themselves.