All the Better

Boy / what big lies you have /

            What big lashes /

What large heaps to hide

            behind / cardboard and colored glass /

Boy / what grubby hands you have /

            What big histories / Boy lying

wet in his mother/’s

            bed / Boy now with a boy

in his bed / Boy who didn’t play

            the boy when given a chance /

Boy with TV screens

            for eyes / with

pixeled frown / What big holes

            there are

in your memory / in your

            melody / in the ways

you rise from the sheets / alone /

            and do / and don’t / see / a boy

Marlin M. Jenkins was born and raised in Detroit and studied poetry in University of Michigan's MFA program. His writings have been given homes by Indiana Review, Salt Hill, and Bennington Review, among others. He is an editor for HEArt Online.