54. Tradition

                           Tradition

 

To the solemn proponents of silent children,

to the seconders of memorization and rote recitation,

to the sentimentalists of schooldays hickory stick, old-time razor strop,

          fundamentalist PVC pipe, whoremaster coathanger and whatever else

                  a firm hand can lay a hand on,

to the true believers in something to believe in,

 

I say only this: the way it is done

is to face each other holding hands

looking each other straight in the eyes,

grinning from ear to ear, then start

leaping in unison while holding each other from falling backward while going

round and round in a circle--it doesn't matter

whether it's clockwise or counterclockwise--roaring together

JUMP, JUMP, JUMP FOR JOY!

JUMP, JUMP, JUMP FOR JOY!

JUMP, JUMP, JUMP FOR JOY!

JUMP, JUMP FOR JOY!