things left behind

sometimes home friends ask
how i am
i don’t know how to pair “everything
is great” with “but the checklists in
sad people pamphlets in
student health—
it’s all there”
those pamphlets are always
wrong anyway that’s why
they’re pamphlets
there to be thrown out
transient.
yesterday i
traced the leaves falling out of the sun
this is my first
how the fall comes. i’m all for
the sun when it makes me born again
i could be Icarus
i too do not listen
to my father,
especially about the face i won’t
give you back: it’s among
other things i left behind
dresses hanging/gold foil stars/leaves
that stayed where i left