by Marian K. Shapiro

I. FORGET what you must not remember.
        A. Erase your feelings. Experiment until you find the
             best approach for you. Popular methods include
             1. On-off techniques: Become
               a. a light switch
               b. a water faucet
             2. Total object technique: Turn into
               a. wood
               b. stone
               c. steel
       B. Pretend
          1. Act normal
          2. Be pleasant if possible. (If not, be quiet.)
       C. Prepare: Your time will come.

II. REMEMBER to forget, every day.

III. FORGET to remember you forgot.

IV. MAKE LISTS.

V. PREPARE QUIETLY.

VI. WAIT.

 
Born in 1939 in a housing project in The Bronx, MARIAN KAPLUN SHAPIRO practices as a psychologist and poet in Lexington, Massachusetts. The author of Second Childhood (Norton, 1988) and many professional articles, her poetry book, Players In The Dream, Dreamers In The Play appeared in April, 2007 from Plain View Press. Her chapbooks, Your Third Wish, (Finishing Line), and The End Of The World, Announced On Wednesday (Pudding House) also appeared in late 2007. She was named Senior Poet Laureate of Massachusetts in 2006 and again in 2008.