Fair Enough

 
When researching
potential homes for orphan poems
three primary points of interest
come to play:
about,
masthead,
and current issue.

If “about” starts
with apologies for
occupied land, melanin levels,
and confessions of oppression
to indigenous people who
oppressed their own people;
and “BIPOC” and “queer”
writers walk on red carpet
while straight white men
are forced to pay
for the privilege of rejection,
I begin to wonder.

As “masthead” bios
reflect female personalities,
Subaru ownership and a
right to child sacrifice,
my wonder increases.

And when “current issue”
reveals the few men included
share the middle name of
“castrated,” I realize
it’s time to take my balls
and my ballads
and look elsewhere.