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2020 Harris S. Abrahams Poetry Prize

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sleep debt is out, multiculturalism is in

by Delaney Heisterkamp

i take steps two at a time to avoid talking in circles q: would u say u are an albondigas or chicken noodle kind-of-girl ? a: at six i played sungka on the same carpet i prayed to white jesus do u get me? childhood friend stretches out sleek swimsuit belly calves flecked with leaf shadow and chlorine gloaming she ooh ahhs that i tan at pool edge, palms digging into grit suburban consolation for brown eyes & big forehead ( see she owned the pool & i wanted to be like her hand flung arc of water wanted to be tossed & then glimmer u get me? ) q: how was ur day today, in spite of it all ? how was spite today, ur day in it ur spit all day to day was it ? mother in my cashier lane tells me her daughter’s learning tagalog small girl says isa dalawa tatlo apat lima i know nothing but good job! do u want ur fruit in a separate bag? my winterskin is fishbelly & places i’ve picked red to bleeding
ex says of my brother’s tan lines so ur just as white as the rest of us today I’m wearing legs w/ an above-knee spectacle swipe right when photo parts of me shine shavedgleaming but don’t burn easily today was all ow spit all of it o u t how ou t how ? chew sleep paste since u blew off ur alarm u blew it take sidewalk squares two at a no time for dreaming in the Dream, babey ! was it ur day today ?*To read this poem in its intended format, please view from a desktop. 

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