COUNSELOR: Poetry Crisis Line, what is your emergency?
CALLER: This flag has been planted on the moon:
COUNSELOR: It has? And how did you end up with it?
CALLER: it will be interesting to see
COUNSELOR: You don’t know?
CALLER: what steps the moon will take to be revenged
COUNSELOR: On the Commander of Cheese?
CALLER: for this quite breathtaking presumption.
COUNSELOR: Ironic—to be breathtaking on the moon.
James Baldwin, born August 2, 1924, would have been 94 today. Read the rest of the poem Staggerlee Wonders here. (Note: poem contains offensive language and some controversial ideas.)