Grace Paley Poem

One Day

One day   lying on my stomach in the afternoon   trying to sleep

I suffered penis envy (much to

                                        my surprise

and with no belief in Freud   for years

                               in fact   extreme

antipathy)    what could I do but turn around

and close my eyes and dream of summer

                                 in those days I

                                 was a boy    I whistled

at the gate for Tom.

Then I woke up

then I slept

and dreamed another dream

in my drowned father's empty pocket

there were nine dollars and the salty sea

he said    I know you    my darling girl

you're the one that's me