Mark Hendrickson (he/him/his) is a 2023 Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize nominated poet and writer in the Des Moines area. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Prose Online, Variant Lit, Five Minutes, Synkroniciti, Swing, and others. Mark worked for many years as a mental health technician in a locked psychiatric unit. His background includes music, healthcare, and psychology. Visit his website at: www.markhendricksonpoetry.com
Adoption/Eviction
I/You
can/can’t
only/ever
imagine/repress
the/the
difficulty/consequences
of/of
your/your
brave/reckless
choices/behaviors
life/youth
beginning/over
hope/innocence
blooming/wilting
innocent/naive
passion/desperation
of/of
young/adolescent
love/lust
burgeoning /cancerous
life/tumor
growing/spreading
within/despite
you/you
suddenly/finally
surrendering/shedding
your/that
son/burden
for/for
adoption/good
I/You
do/don’t
wonder/care
who/what
you/I’ve
became/become
I/You
often/must
wish/regret
I/you
could/didn’t
know/abort
you/me
Thank/Fuck
you/you
for/for
giving/throwing
me/me
life/away