in my next life, i’ll know never
to do dinner on the first date
moderate means republican
and babies on profiles
means they want kids
i’ll know dishwashers aren’t friends
to rice cooker bowls
won’t trust the vietnamese consulate
when they say three days
i’ll slice through numbers
like a food processor
cull anxiety mid-spiral
but here in this life
i’m muddling along the best i can
i’m new to this living thing
which is to say
it’s my soul’s maiden voyage
around this earth
reincarnation aside
so forgive me for not knowing
everything everywhere
all at once
i’m trying
and if that’s not enough
it will have to be