Two city gals on L.I.,

Brooklyn & Bronx bred

we co-existed in the land

of ‘Innisfree” aka The Women’s♀♀

Center, Oakdale.

Recall when we were mothers

of pre-schoolers.

Time was all we had

to kill, or sanctify.

When we were younger,

the world was our oyster.

We promised we’d dine at

Le Soir in Bayport, go broke

on crêpe suzettes.

Here’s a toast to you, Suzanne, mon ami!

Le Soir is closed

due to the virus.

NOREEN FORDE MCDONALD studied Linguistics and TESOL at SUNY Stony Brook and was an adjunct professor at SCC-Brentwood from 1990-2020. Listed in the Feminists Who Changed America 1963-1975, she was cofounder of Live Poets’ Society with Susan Levy, Barbara Donovan, Gloria G Murray and others.