Household Fires

                 for Durbin

I like what you like
But I don’t think you eat
I wonder what it would be like
To be someone else
I want you to be your sister
like I want her to date me
You make me feel very nineties
And helpless to know you
No one under 30 should talk about Proust
Because they do not understand
Certain types of emotions
I read that in a bathroom
Killing time on a bad date
I wanted to text you
I’d rather be making out
With the mysteries of your past
I’ll retweet your tweet
Because I can’t pull your hair
I want you to mail me lipstick
But only after you’ve used it

Ben Fama’s poetry, criticism and writing has appeared in Denver Quarterly, Lit, The Brooklyn Rail and Jubilat, among others. He is the author of New Waves (2011, Minutes Books) and Aquarius Rising (2010, Ugly Duckling Presse). From 2008-2011 he curated Supermachine Literary Journal (RIP). He recently founded Wonder, an art book publisher. His writing on subjects from Brian Eno, Twin Peaks, Maggie Nelson, Jon Leon, and beyond, can be found on his tumblr. He lives in New York City.