FOR BROOK STEPHENSON

there was that time i told you
you were doing God’s work
remember that
and i don’t know why i said that
i mean i don’t know where it came from
i mean i don’t know what God got planned
or what work he working on
but i knew i had to tell you
something because something
was changing me
this thing you were doing
were being
was changing me
like a new sweater worn beneath the skin
like the ability to feel hair growing
like hearing the story behind the story
you a story
on top of a story
on top of a story
a Detroit skyscraper
with enough room
for all us
a brooklyn brownstone
still brown occupied
with no buzzer and no lock
and a worn-in couch for
a worn out friend

and these days i just be
so preoccupied
i can’t help it
i just be preoccupied
with where you came from
where you came from
and where you go
where you go
and what work you working on
now