“I Am Sorry About Your Prom Season Problems” by J. Bradley

Never wear a wrap woven

from your pretend love’s hair.

Should you decide to,

use this formula:

the caliber of your beauty divided

by the severity of the restraining order.

Turn your forefingers and thumbs

into a frame. Ask whether

the architect of your world is

John Hughes or Stephenie Meyers.

Either way, forget the condoms,

negotiate a safe word.

J. Bradley is the author of the novella Bodies Made of Smoke (HOUSEFIRE, 2012) and the forthcoming illustrated poetry collection The Bones of Us (YesYes Books, 2014). He lives at iheartfailure.net.