I GATHERED MYSELF FOR MYSELF

Glenn Cox

I'm headed to a picnic by a lake I can't swim in because of an industrial spill

Applying 54 layers of Burt's bees while I'm microwaving a filet mignon

Childhood feast of lukewarm GFS pizza on a styrofoam tray

The Lord knows I
Harvested every field
Plucked every berry
Sieved the rivers into a glass
My hands are sore and my back aches

I gathered myself for myself, too

Unpaid intern for the word of God
Tenure track for sleeping in trash cans/listening behind closed doors

Glenn Cox is a poet and artist who lives in New York City. His chapbook, Mood Pyramid, can be purchased at Bluestocking Book Store in Manhattan or from Monster House Press.