1

Growing up mohawked in a small town
well read and untravelled I swore
to represent
and to wear a tie
whenever I wanted
because the fact that the symbols
are disposable
is everything
Check out this safety pin

2

So when I went to Berkeley
for the first time, I’d already sixed
Missouri culture-shock in Oakland
the bridges, bud, macrobiotics
I became a member of Gilman Street
Collective and I forgave the crusty kid
with the tattooed crown of thorns, spiked
choker, and parka when he spit on Kirby
Even though it was Kirby’s first time there
I forgave that guy because I was new
and because Kirby had never been spit on
and I thought that was important too

Jon Thrower was born in a snowstorm during the Winter Solstice of 1973. He is currently an adjunct faculty member in the Department of English, and a Writing Associate, at Southeast Missouri State University. He is a founding member of the writing collective Prescription Strength Poetry. Previous work has appeared in magazines and websites such as, Dicey Brown, Storysouth, BlazeVox, and Big Muddy.

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