Poem of the Week

Christian Teresi is the director of conferences for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP), overseeing the largest literary conference and book fair in North America. Born in Albany, New York, he holds degrees from Binghamton University and George Mason University.

Mike Tyson Explains Middle Age to John Keats

by Christian Teresi
For Nicole Tong


Sometimes I think I said everything I had to say by twenty-six.
At the reform school, I could take any adult one-on-one at fifteen.


When it took several of them to take me to solitary they said
That was what needed to happen for forgiveness. They wanted me


To confess, but I never knew for what. A curse is also sacred, right,
John? Stable-keeper’s kids know broken then healed, but healed


With limits to how much anything can be set right. You Keats boys
Had the mind of feral dreams never bullied into errands for hoodlums.
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