All Night Long Searching For An Important Paper Poem by Charles Chaim Wax

I could not find
so turned the apartment upside down.
Such a vital item!
if found, I was sure, all my troubles would be gone
but the dream would not comply.
At five I went to Meng’s for breakfast
almost empty, surprised at that,
anyway I ordered bacon, eggs, homefries, and a large coffee.
After a few gulps I started to sweat.
A gorgeous black woman sitting across from me
and wearing a nurse’s uniform
smiled and said pleasantly, “You sweat on the nose.
Sweat on the nose mean for sure you must be evil
just like my son.”
I said politely, “I never heard that definition of evil
but I suppose it’s as good as any
since evil is such an unfathomable concept.”
I paused, more coffee, of course
more sweat, then: “By the way,
how old is your son
that you already know he’s evil? ”
“Eight.
But age don’t mean a thing.
He shall grow up an evil man
and all my valiant effort shall do no good.”
So calm, as if a bit of sweat
were one of the Ten Commandments
yet such a stunning lovely face
and out of the blue I said: “You could be a Supermodel.”
She smiled revealing white teeth, straight, strong, gleaming.
finally, “I heal the sick.”
“Of course, of course, ” I mumbled, staring
unable to deny myself the sight of her fabulous features.
Then: grabbing a handful of napkins
blotted up the sweat from my nose
forehead, arms, cheeks, even lips.
Suddenly Huey from behind the counter:
“Bernstein, you pay, you pay.”
“Hot as hell in here, ” I said in my defense,
not revealing my true motive
Then heard: “Did you see the newspaper this morning? ”
still so peaceful, even after the horror of her own son’s fate.
“A woman throw her child from a high window
the little baby only have a chance
of five months in this world.
Now this woman is evil...”
“But did she sweat on the nose? ” I asked.
“For sure!
She have to!
But why evil come about
into God’s shining world
this I cannot say.”