thirteen of twenty-four
By Tao Lin
notice how my forehead approaches you at a high speed
notice the contortions on my face; hear and feel the impact
of my forehead against your eyebrow
never get angry if someone doesn’t do things for you
react to disappointment by being quiet and nice
and alone, not by being confrontational or frustrated
in 1952 a DSM copy-editor removed ‘headbutting’
from the entry for ‘psychopathic behavior’
thereafter the headbutt has thrived
across all social, political, and elementary school gym classes
today the headbutt is a sign of friendship, stability, and inner calm
the exponential effect of your repeated lies makes me afraid what will happen
to us; ‘the perfect headbutt’ destroys both participants and impresses
even the severely disillusioned, and the phrase ‘giant poem’ reverberates
through my head with the austerity of ancient ruins, the off-centered beauty
of repressed veganism, and the lord of the rings trilogy
I forgot what this poem was about
Copyright Credit: Tao Lin, "thirteen of twenty-four" from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Copyright © 2008 by Tao Lin. Reprinted by permission of Melville House.
Source: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (Melville House, 2008)