From the collection And Don’t Come Back, 2021.

It’s a Tangled Ball of Twine

leave right away
call this number
drop everything
oh look there she is
write it down in order
you need I could have
a cancellation
a deposit returned
the answering machine shrieks
you knew that’s who:

working here is like
being the ball in the can of spray paint
I can’t think straight
I can’t even think crooked
I quit no I don’t
yes I do
I’m fired?
What?
I’m not fired?
Maybe I’m fired? What?

5/8/20