My brother 
would light up a room—

take the spotlit stage 
and turn wake to party. 

I marveled 
at our differences. 

I learned, early on, 
that all knowledge 

came from books 
and lectures 

in chalky classrooms 
my brother 

would have none of. 
What alien universe 

had hosted his birth? 
Bequeathing him 

a perfect pitch 
for human interaction. 

And yes, 
he made a mash of life—

enamored of girls 
and gangs and guns 

and stuff you smoked 
or snorted. 

His parole officer 
was with us so often 

she seemed 
a member of the family. 

But, we forgave 
him all that, 

welcomed 
his easy charm 

and sat back—
ready to enjoy the show.

Steve Deutsch

lives in State College, Pennsylvania, and is the author of two books published by Kelsay Press: a chapbook, Perhaps You Can (2019), and the full-length Persistence of Memory (September 2020).

His recent writing has appeared or is forthcoming in 8 Poems, Algebra of Owls, Better Than Starbucks, Biscuit Root Drive, Borfski Press, Burningword Literary Journal, Eclectica Magazine, Evening Street, Flashes of Brilliance, Ghost City Review, Gravel, Linden Avenue Literary Journal, Literary Heist, Louisiana Lit, Misfit Magazine, Mojave River Review, New Verse News, Nixes Mate Review, Panoply, San Antonio Review, Softblow, Streetlight Press, The Blue Nib, The Broadkill Review, The Drabble, The Ekphrastic Review, The Muddy River Poetry Review, The Write Launch, Thimble Magazine, Third Wednesday, and Word Fountain. His work was nominated in 2017 and 2018 for the Pushcart Prize.

More on the Web: By, About, and Beyond

⚡ Poet, in Eclectica Magazine (Volume 22, Number 2, April/May 2018)

⚡ Flotilla, first published in the anthology Weatherings (FutureCycle Press 2015), and later posted on Sarah Russell Poetry (16 June 2018)