obzezzed w. ur black nylon
shorts, we hate wut we have
released like the tide
something to run after
sent to the closet, never
to emerge (the ultimate
compliment)
i am where a weed can grow
don’t turn ur back on me
2 assistants, lotsa lunches
brainpower expended on
needy young butchers
my peers have no respect
the harbormaster’s prom,
recorded in ur lil ledger
wuz a prom (half a promise)
friendship is on the decline
teasing shards, twin beds pushed together,
things r not wut they seem
poetry cataloging societal ills
the error of ur ways
resist the urge, deign an
apology, we’ve seen better
days
if ur not an aircraft why r u
announcing ur departure
one last thing, wild boy
w. penis envy
take wut u can fit in ur pockets
take it all
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.
