a city reader

I COULD SEE THE DOVES FROM MY DESK

It was a brick school

a grade school

a Catholic grade school

with the priest’s house 

sharing the parking lot 

it was that close

there was a big church there too

I don’t remember if there was a convent

for the nuns who taught at the school

one taught across the hall from me

she had those felt hand-made wall hangings

with doves on them and peace

she also had a Corita Kent poster and 

she played folk songs on a guitar

it was 1970

she’s no longer a nun

I was teaching there to avoid going to Vietnam

so I liked the doves 

she had on the wall.