while sketching

a fetching young dancer,

i was asked

how i came

by my art.

“with oodles

of doodles,” i answered–

while wishing

i’d said

something smart.

she smiled

a while and related

that she learned

how to dance

in a hall:

her mama

and papa had 8 kids,

and only

1 bathroom

for all.

–sketch and photo by me