Photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash
why humans cannot remember printed facts
they have to look them up
put yourself into flow, use return
conditioner makes hair shiny but what is a sadness arm
when we cannot see each other’s skin
A robot wishes for skin
out in public, to trip on cement, and create an inhuman sound
like a cow moan bursts into scheduling and waterfalls in Borneo
but do you know how to do shots?
to take a shot is either a short glassed drink or a verbal punishment
forget to text and break through fourth walls with your hammer and peacock emoji
your body parts are curves and angles, not hairless limbs in American apparel
An organ is an instrument or wet smush inside a casing
Turn sideways to navigate a movie aisle pre-Covid
What is a movie and how large is it? How many hands?
Roll a joint, but don’t breathe, snow is too repetitive
but the quiet is nice
likes and dislikes and blocks: a disenfranchised friendship
doing what is uncomfortable is I’m sorry
how do you go numb from insecurity or security?
Play a refracted board game and light up
double space the zeros and ones
Jennifer MacBain-Stephens went to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and now lives in Iowa where she likes to rock climb. She is the author of four full length poetry collections and twelve chapbooks. Recent work can be seen at or is forthcoming from The Pinch, Cleaver, Yalobusha Review, Zone 3, and Grist. She also hosts an indie reading series sponsored by the non-profit organization Iowa City Poetry called Today You Are Perfect. Find her at http://jennifermacbainstephens.com/.