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This poem plays off the idea of giving and taking orders.
Lift Your Right Arm
Peter Cherches
Lift your right arm, she said.
I lifted my right arm.
Lift your left arm, she said.
I lifted my left arm. Both of
my arms were up.
Put down your right arm, she
said.
I put it down.
Put down your left arm, she
said.
I did.
Lift your right arm, she said.
I obeyed.
Put down your right arm.
I did.
Lift your left arm.
I lifted it.
Put down your left arm.
I did.
Silence. I stood there, both
arms down, waiting for her next command.
After a while I got impatient and said, what next.
Now it's your turn to give the
orders, she said.
All right, I said. Tell me to
lift my right arm.
from Condensed Book, 1986
Benzene Editions
Copyright 1986 by Peter Cherches.
All rights reserved.
Reproduced with permission (click for permissions information).
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