WHEN ORGANIZING BOOKSHELVES

in an effort to move

in an effort to dance

and squat and summon

hip flexors and blades of

shoulders that ain’t cut much

lately besides the air

around my ears

i decided to reorganize

my bookshelf

embellishment is breath

to a poet

i decided to organize

my bookshelf

for the first time

and it’s been a long time

since i’ve seen my friends

when they were young

when we were younger trying

to find language for move

out my way when we were trying

to find language for kiss

and tell the world when we were trying

to find language for fight

atrophied mind and ain’t no

body got time to wait on nobody

who dont know we genius black

stapled pages pixelated word art

for cover autographs in bic blue

that make the hair on my neck ovate

and thicken my saliva

and as i stretch this body and

alphabetize my journey

proud of the spines we’ve made

and the backs we’ve broken and

the pages of future incantations

back when stoops were our stew pots

i wipe dust from my eyes clap clouds

into this world i’ve forgotten

i haven’t made alone and ask

friends how did you know i needed you

friends i’ve missed you so

what now