before I start this poem

you must know

there are some things I've been thinking about:

fingers sliding across keyboards

further now, telling the truth

some runoff of the human condition

I cannot, will not tell a lie

your identity jam is beautiful

but before I start this poem

you'll know

that what you are to me is wrapped in word parts

affixes and mouth sounds

and I's and g's and k's and u's and b's and r's

memories and future memories on a reel

phone, text, book, car

text, book, phone, car

book, phone, text, car

but before I start this poem