I am the president of this school for girls

I am the president of St. David’s Medical Center

And Bank of America

And the Wash-A-Teria in the strip mall

With the dryer drums that have deserted their people

Which has crawled inside me like a disease

And I have a mother

A broken hand

A dead bird smell

My mind, neon luggage

And that’s everything, I believe

O in the gymnasium, we learn to dance

Throughout our lives

Hold tight to your angel

No light should move through you

Do not be tempted to bring yourself everywhere

Even as you do

Caitlyn Klum 

has poems appearing or forthcoming in Denver Quarterly, American Chordata, Ghost Proposal, and others. She is a poetry fellow at the Michener Center for Writers in Austin Texas.