BEATNIK: A Poetry Collection

the pass-around

when I was

young I used

to think adults

had mean built

into them.

it wasn't until

I grew up

and got my

mean card that

I found it

was mandatory.

you had to

carry it around

with you and

show your mean

to those who

called you out

on not having

it.

I saw the

mean of plenty

of other people,

even when I

didn't want to.

in time I

accepted the mean

and figured out

you couldn't throw

it away.

so as you

grow remember well,

and especially on

the day they

give you your

mean card, it'd

probably be best

just to throw

it away.