A Broken Piece of Porcelain
Doesn’t Give You Much Information
by Sam Donsky
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When my father funnels me from Canada
I tell Michelle that meters could not keep
me from her & this is true.
When Jordan wins the race by a galaxy
& breaks his nose at the finish
I tell him glory is often unsustained.
When Emily decides we should go
to China I dig a hole & we get close.
When my uncle gets married
in Cincinnati & vows “there is no other
world” I believe him.
When Adam gets lice I pretend
it is gold dust.
When my babysitter takes me
to the museum I briefly become
interested in physical coherence.
When Sarah supposes the world
to be flat I (regrettably) inform her
that so is she.
When she breaks up with me I wonder
how something acquires value.
When Peter & I see a whale for the first time
he says “look!” & two girls are kissing.
When my grandfather gets cancer
I eat vegetables relentlessly for a month.
When E moves my hands up her shirt
I get down to her level & imagine.
When an officer pulls me over for speeding
I wonder aloud if everything is connected.
When I spill rum on my prom clothes it gets
in my mouth.
When I cut my hair short Zach tells me
widow’s peaks are things of beauty.
When I land in Philadelphia
the phrase “harrowing end of things”
comes to mind & then leaves.
When Dan goes to a show he hears
“Logic Will Break Your Heart”
& then logic does exactly that.
When I finger-smudge my way through
Chemistry it is a sign.
When I go home for Hannukah
my sister is taller.
When I ask Mrs. Z what her book is about
she says “a broken piece of porcelain
doesn’t give you much information.”
When I meet X I compliment her
& six months later I do it again.
When she decides we should go to China
I have already started digging.
Sam Donsky is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a Creative Writing major.