1

a sketch from a friend
of someone in your head
masterpiece

2

Penang curry
he pays with
an empty wallet

3

meeting the parents
my mom gives him
the family egg

4

bourbon and pine
your shampoo
take me to the forest

5

tie the ribbon
to finish the dress
and my life

6

daylily
why do i feel so different
one day to the next

7

it’s not you
but you held it
teddy bear

8

hummingbird
i don’t have the notes
to transcribe your song

9

home-cooked meal
       I can do this on my own

10

they walk past unaware
their view of the world
makes me vomit

11

walking her home from school
brainstorming how to tell her I
want to end things

12

skinny dipping
she dances
the waltz

13

wire-wrapped jade
on my chest
pendulum 

14

phone flashlights
fifty thousand inner children
space out

15

in reality
I don't really care how cool
you think my culture is

16

your gold anchor necklace
and loud belly laugh
the little things that make you, you

17

separating skittles
and ranking them
we discuss racism

18

summer's here
grandma shows us the pool
our parents couldn't afford

     19

     passing period
     I take the long way
     but she's still at my locker

   20

   the sunlight
   pours through the blinds
   I could lay with you forever

21

it has been over a year yet you call me
late at night as a “joke”
grow up.

22

spent nine lives
falling for men
without a parachute

23

ADHD
my mind is
alphabet soup

24

I’ll never be able to
see what you do
the other side of me

25

shimmering like gold
even though
I didn’t brush it

26

another set of clothes
to hide my ugly
personality

27

attention deficit
hyperactivity
superpower

28

cloudless day
the breeze
through damp hair

29

perched on
crumbling red brick
blue jays pigeons

30

Dad sends me money
crying
I can afford to buy body wash

31

I knew it
when you glanced at my lips
first kiss

32

a Polar Pop
with a few shots of vodka
cheaper than therapy

33

I roll up my sleeves
SHIT
Papa saw my tattoo

34

Saturday night football
a drunk coed
trips over the bleachers

35

my little brother tells me
he is out on a date
how old is he again?

36

onions
they smell and make me cry
just like my ex

37

I stare at the table next to me
that steak looks delicious
maybe next year. . .

38

I love you
I love you
I love you

39

send nudes
I thought you didn’t like
Ramen

40

late night bagel
the cure
to my depression

41

church gathering
everyone asks
the same questions

42

sticky note
on a pasta bowl
see you after class

43

brownie mix
on the counter
a smirk on his face

44

smiling at me
from my laptop
strawberry frog

45

carefully crafting
friendship bracelets
all by myself

46

morning sun
strikes her golden hair
just the right way

47

love like the first snow
so fresh, so perfect
—waiting to be broken

48

date ideas
floating in my head
oh fuck I’m in class

49

me without you
goodness,
how lost I would be

50

stay tucked behind my ear
a lingering kiss
for when I need it most

51

meet me under
my eyelids
tonight

52

lilies in hand
I let go
of expectations

53

blind to the little things
did you even notice
I cut my hair?

54

late night talk
I always drive you
home

55

hiking boots laced tight
to summit
the mountain of homework

56

       astronaut
    lucky to fly through
your universe

57

cuts and bruises
map her small body
a father’s love

58

long weekend
my dad
teaches me how to fight

59

quiet kid
lowers his hand
teacher doesn’t notice

60

every time
I think I’m ready
I remember us

61

I’m not a
romantic
just hopeless

62

two strangers
who don’t make eye contact
they used to date

63

training wheels
for men
I never get to see them grow up

64

say you love me 
not with words 
with soup

65

pew one pew two pew three 
no pencils 
no envelopes 

66

McDonald’s cup
first sip
I rise from the dead

67

glitter 
from my face 
to the womb

68

not nice enough
or mean enough
for homecoming queen

69

driving
not a thought
or destination in mind

70

something is wrong
she knows
by how I answer the phone

71

neon blue cross
and a pink elephant
I’m almost home

72

turtle
I want to take things slow

73

guttural laughs
from twenty-somethings
roughhousing

74

the boy fumbles
with the keys
she lights a cig

75

October snow
spare change falls through
the hole in my coat pocket

76

she leaves
their baby with him
trombone section

77

celery crunch
sharing smiles
over ranch

78

it's the little things
that make my heart
skip a beat for you

79

heartbroken friend
hesitant to report
she did it again

80

lost in the deepest
thoughts in my head
your smile brings me back

81

you remembered
my favorite color,
from the conversation long ago

82

black marker
of my grandmother’s handwriting
beneath the hardwood floors

83

mom found my Skype
said we're too young
4 i luv u

84

growing up to face
life’s ups and downs
bouncy castle

85

your best friend
breaks up with me
for you

86

Mother’s Day brunch
the wind reveals my new piercings
Grandma’s sharp inhale

87

sorry about my
Tourette’s
fucking beans

88

he pulls me in to kiss
remembering what Mom said:
lean left

89

a mint oreo concrete mixer
you get me

90

pumpkin 
apple 
dripping into a cup 

91

blood rushes
to my cheeks
you called me beautiful

92

fingers, toes 
tapping 
I can’t look at you

93

crying into my soup 
call that 
French onion 

94

stranger passes behind me
touching my lower back
without permission

95

your “love”
painted over my ribs
in black and blue

96

The Grinch
tearing apart our tree
with four paws

97

inkblot test
am i supposed to
laugh at that?

98

vampire bat
i’m nocturnal and i still think
your music is too loud

99

empty your eyelids
into my palms
eyelash, make a wish

101

autumn breeze
don’t know what you have
until it’s gone

102

your hand on my neck
I close my eyes
and trust you to meet my lips

103

falling into love
hot tea after
a stomach ache

104

middle school crush
cliche cliche cliche cliche cliche . . .
were we all that nauseating?

105

my one true
true love
kUkai

106

new tear stains
in her diary
daisy petals

107

the water with which
we hose down the troughs
skim milk

108

christmas wish list
I would like
to like me

109

ugly old pictures
back then
we were hot shit

110

maybe I clogged it
but I also un-clogged it
so I’m the hero

111

heart strings pulled tight
this time
double knotted

112

emperor penguin
haven’t worn that tie in years
yep, still got it

113

I write your name
on my heart
in pencil

114

magician assistant’s wink
intercepted 
by my girlfriend

115

two muffins:
banana and nut
hazy afternoon snuggles

116

darling the butterflies
alone
are enough

117

laughing way too hard
at the dumbest things
get the banana

118

YouTube man says
light is a pollutant
we are losing stars