MICHAEL CHANG

BREATHE UNDERWATER

The dog has sneezed.

I am chaste.

The sword in the stone.

I’m in my Empress energy.

The archers are lining up.

You are a pussy magnet.

You use me for content.

Hollow sidewalk will not support vehicles.

I have nothing important to communicate.

You have suffered a great disappointment.

Maybe the trouble is you’re good at the world of things, words.

But love is not something you one can ever be good at.

I don’t know how to square that circle.

Only a poet does.

I never remember the shit he says because he’s never had an original thought.

Or said anything worth repeating.

He eats 12 eggs for breakfast.

Says such things as I don’t know why people choose to be poor.

It’s not a problem if money can fix it.

He really spreads his seed.

I’m keeping my nose clean.

I want to prove the world wrong.

I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.

MICHAEL CHANG (they/them) is the author of ALMANAC OF USELESS TALENTS (CLASH Books, 2022) & SYNTHETIC JUNGLE (Northwestern University Press, 2023). Tapped to edit Lambda Literary's Emerge anthology, their poems have been nominated for Best New Poets, Best of the Net & the Pushcart Prize. They were awarded the Poetry Project's Brannan Prize & edit poetry at Fence.