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/.