The Endarkenment

Origins

5 origins I’m from touch football in parking lots and street-corner Romeos I’m from half-brothers and three-quarter nelsons I’m from watered-down blue blood and finger-painting on subway walls I’m from tongue kisses in stairwells and tequila sunsets in the closet I’m from stealing the coins out of other people’s wishing wells I’m from jordache jeans and pick-up games in the twilight I’m from Italian girls wearing murmurs I oh so badly wanted to speak I’m from sidestepped obligations and nomadic fingertips I’m from listerine in alleyways and whiskers in the vaseline I’m from unreliable narrators and abandoned buildings I’m from don’t cross 24th Street because of the Irish and don’t cross South Street because of the blacks I’m from the merry-go-round where white guys in cars slow down after midnight to take a visual bite out of my twelve-year-old ass I’m from fuck you when my friends are around, and please stop looking at me, please stop looking at me, please stop looking at me, when I’m alone I’m from sucker punches and a mouthful of blood spit in my face I’m from a nightgown breathing at the bottom of a staircase I’m from I wished you died in that hospital I’m from exit plans that involve shotguns I’m from you gonna front like the hard guy, you better back that shit up ...