when i was 12 years old and in the 6th grade
i made a cassette copy from a compact
of portrait of an american family
by the band Marilyn Manson
inside the plastic case of the cassette
i listed the title of each track
using a blue pen
kerry hall who was in the 8th grade at the time
was the recipient of the cassette
and when i handed it to her she immediately
studied the track list i had tried to write carefully
she said “sweat tooth?”
her short hair would hang in front of half her face
like claire danes in my so-called life
her short hair would hang in front of half her face
like claire danes in my so-called life
as she bent her head towards the globby ink