Andriniki Mattis

i sat where green nettles stand
on the earth's rind
in a park where i proved myself
shattered

gifted with a mouth
opening into song
wood hollowed
intricately
curved into my belly
a river  

i remember empire blvd          the tooth cracking concrete
          i fell on
     speeding on my taxi yellow bike
in front of the kids on my block
     
     i harnessed the tomboy from my lungs
forgetting his body stamped with suggestions
a body aware of its arson  
plucking me different

my eyes rain on my air force ones
fingers choke
my wrists
threaten the crimson tunnel
under my skin

the thorns of every half cent word
wrangles half my face into a petrified pine  
& i know i am the boy fruitier than a candy
bright       game boy color