Monday, January 30
UPWARD MOBILITY
dancing to avoid the fluttering
of roaches, the boy brushes his teeth
with one eye on the sink
& one eye on the bugs
& one eye on his teeth
& one eye on time
& one eye on homework
& one eye on his brothers
& one eye on the future—
years later when his friends joke
about how he has poor people teeth,
his head will shed its skin
to reveal 5000 eyes the size
of cockroach hearts.
(José Olivarez)