Shoebox

Annie's a sleepy-time ten year old
looking at black and white photos
of a pure white lacy two year old
as if they were daguerreotypes

from an age of wrap around porches,
fine China teacups whose saucers have doilies,
and maple trees on Maple Street.

But two flights down the walk-up tonight
are dog pack boys in an alley
howling for neighborhood bitches
who know how to beg for a bag of candy

as midnight raggedy Annie decides
to put a shoebox of thirty year old
photographs down to go to sleep.