~ Delta Poetry Review ~

Joseph Mills

Word

The teacher says,

Imagine

you have one word

to give to someone.

What would it be?

Why would I give them

a word?

someone asks.

It’s a thought experiment,

he says.

    They say,

but that’s like

a single potato chip

or radish.

What’s the point?

What word? he asks.

Am I sick? Help.

Are they angry? Goodbye.

Am I hungry? Meat.

He says, Take this seriously.

Done, they say.

Joseph Mills is on the faculty at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. His most recent collection of poetry is The Holiday Cycle (Press 53)