Jean Stein

Taught me how to walk out

Of movies.

Sit center.

Order the biggest popcorn.

Give the movie its opening credits

And then a minimum of three minutes.

Do you like this, Ottessa?

See me grin and shake my head no.

Then stand and duck and go.

Say, Excuse me!

To the knees of those poor souls

About to waste another hour or two of their lives

For twelve dollars and fifty cents.

Jean Stein

Spilled her popcorn along the sidewalk

Like a trail for the angels.

As if to say,

Here I am, here I go.

Don’t lose track of me

Because I am one of you.

The times we stayed,

She exclaimed at every magic moment.