Mothers of America



let your kids go to the movies!



get them out of the house so they won’t know what you’re up to



it’s true that fresh air is good for the body



but what about the soul



that grows in darkness, embossed by silvery images



and when you grow old as grow old you must



they won’t hate you



they won’t criticize you they won’t know



they’ll be in some glamorous country



they first saw on a Saturday afternoon or playing hookey







they may even be grateful to you



for their first sexual experience



which only cost you a quarter



and didn’t upset the peaceful home



they will know where candy bars come from



and gratuitous bags of popcorn



as gratuitous as leaving the movie before it’s over



with a pleasant stranger whose apartment is in the Heaven on Earth Bldg



near the Williamsburg Bridge



oh mothers you will have made the little tykes



so happy because if nobody does pick them up in the movies



they won’t know the difference



and if somebody does it’ll be sheer gravy



and they’ll have been truly entertained either way



instead of hanging around the yard



or up in their room



hating you



prematurely since you won’t have done anything horribly mean yet



except keeping them from the darker joys



it’s unforgivable the latter



so don’t blame me if you won’t take this advice



and the family breaks up



and your children grow old and blind in front of a TV set



seeing



movies you wouldn’t let them see when they were young





