What Rough Beast | Poem for March 21, 2017

Noah Stetzer
Overheard

It’s okay because I exaggerate
too and say things that I don’t mean, I joke
all the time and it doesn’t mean a thing

I mean most of what I say, I mean you
can take me at my word, cause honesty
you know I mean is what’s been missing all

along and joking’s just for laughs I mean
there’s no harm or nothing I mean a joke’s
a joke because it’s true but when I joke

I mean it’s just to make you laugh, we’re all
friends here of course and all in on the joke
I mean funny is funny and if you

laugh well then I guess we’re good—so see he’s
just like me and there’s nothing wrong with me.

 

Noah Stetzer is the author of Because I Can See Needing a Knife (Red Bird Chapbooks, 2016). His work has appeared in various journals including Bellevue Literary Review, Nimrod, Green Mountains Review, Chelsea Street Station, and as part of the HIV Here & Now project. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Noah now lives in the Washington, DC area and can be found online at noahstetzer.com.

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