In the 9th Month of the Pandemic

He wakes at 9 and rolls to the screen

He eats a waffle at his desk

He does social studies,

Music, Math, Reading

In between

It’s Madden YouTube Roblox

From bed, still in night

Clothes, still in night

Hair, still in night

There’s a bed

And a couch and a desk chair

That spins,

There’s a kitchen stool

And a couch and a bed

And a desk chair

That spins,

For lunch, take

A bite

Take

A bite

Take

A bite

Eyes locked, never looking

Up, there’s science, ELA, Phys Ed

It makes you breathless

Just to say Phys Ed

And sweaty to learn

The grade is 83 just

From being breathless

In the desk chair

That spins, at

3:30 the eyes unlock

And lungs expand

With the energy it takes

To kill your brother

Best him at football

Throw a snowball

Rolling home to lock in

Once more

The game the game

Always the game,

Noodles and meatballs

Glass eyes

Volume up, lungs

Still trying to expand

Yips and sqwuaks but no place

To go, going and going

A dog and his tail

And everyone’s

Lungs trying to fill

But anger and despair

And no place to go and

That desk chair

Still spinning.