a birthday my age is showing not my celebration
in the office a long way to the center I repeatedly
say I slice some New York pizza I shape
a biscotti I am the awkward focal point
struggling through the cake rock my boss
offers me a Swiss army knife I refuse
she swears it’s clean the PEOPLE want
a show they want to see struggle I
bellow hands shaking through thick paper
plate after plate she says I’m impressed
you didn’t break and my piece is
so sweet I can barely eat I
do it anyway the work
I put in deserves dessert
James Croal Jackson is a Filipino-American poet who works in film production. He has three chapbooks: Count Seeds With Me (Ethel Zine & Micro-Press, 2022), Our Past Leaves (Kelsay Books, 2021), and The Frayed Edge of Memory (Writing Knights, 2017). He edits The Mantle Poetry from Pittsburgh, PA. (jamescroaljackson.com)
