As of 2023, I’m pretty sure this poem is old enough to buy beer.
This poem was written somewhere between 2000 and 2002 and appeared in my 2008 book Odd Bits Of Broken Things. What you’ll hear in this video is a slight update from the original. Call it a remix.
I’m not quite sure how to feel about a poem being “done”. Is it when it’s appeared in a book other people can hold and read? Is it when the writer decides it’s done? When does revision become ceaseless meddling? And when do you just have to let something go?
For this poem, I feel like nothing changed from the original emotions and narrative. Mostly, I wanted to clarify some of what was written and also add in some aspects that seemed to emerge from the fog of memory while I was re-reading it.
Or, I could’ve been making stuff up.
Either way, I’m pretty happy with both versions.
If you’d like to get a copy of the book for yourself, it’s currently available to order through Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.