Even though it’s quiet in the library
Things move like
a ticking time bomb
because any minute, some shit will go down
and it always does
The shelves are half empty
and some of the books are so old
just opening them up will make the pages
fall out
I take five books at a time
to a desk, flip open the pages
and wait for my mind
to stop racing
to quiet down
so I can hear the words
I look for an answer
between those pages
I wanna know how I got here
I mean, really got here
Like, all the things Uncle Rashon
was telling me about The System
Real talk
I wish Uncle Rashon was here
to give me the right books
Kadon has his head down
and his face in a manga novel
The bookshelves here
are not walls
They’re closed windows
and all I have to do
is pull out one book
to make these windows
wide open