65. By Wayne F. Burke

couple of wrinkles in the birthday suit

can't be pressed-out;

couple stains unwashable;

couple moles, couple warts

a cyst on my back--do not need

to get into all that--white teeth, though

not all my own, and

scars that

tell a story of living life,

that give my face

some character, a good thing

character

it gives distinction--

I got some of that.

Wayne F. Burke has published six full-length collections of poetry, most recently DIFLUCAN (2019, BareBack Press). He lives in Vermont.