naked arms

By The Poet Spiel

they may be hungry
     but they are not cold

they learned first
     not to be cold
          not to wear a coat
because there was no coat

you see them at grunt work
     on hiways on rooftops on farms
you see them pushing snow pushing manure
     no coat
          like they are not cold
tho you are freezing
     everyone is freezing

the old ones survived
     the border crossing
determined to tolerate
     anything for a penny
          just for this opportunity
they could not afford to be cold

their kids' kids' kids still crawl out
     from beneath old truckbeds
          or plywood lean-tos down at the tracks
to walk to school to learn english
     with their faces scrubbed
          but without coats
with naked arms

you want to say:
     are you hungry
          are you cold
tho you know they are not cold

if you gave them your coat
     they would not wear it
they do not wear coats

bulk beans or rice suffice

but they are not cold