CLEANING
we’re supposed to
move desks aside
sweep the floor clean
then put the desks back
I take a broom
to get started
but Shunta yanks it
right from my hands
he shoves me
and forces me
and only me
to use the dustpan
here, boy, here they say
Shunta, Gō
Yuki, Naho, and Mika
again and again
making me
and only me
sweep up
tiny piles of dust
I sweep fast with
one quick flick
of the dust broom
while watching my back
when they quit
and sit on desks
I quit and sit on a desk
but they yell
Jason! Move it!
to make me sweep up more
I glare at them
and don’t move
until Gō approaches
then I hop off, start putting
desks back into position
like we’re supposed to
always careful
to keep
a desk
or chair
between me
and Gō
later, walking home
Yōhei, Shō, and Ken
try to encourage me
share strategies
tell me not to
meet their eyes
listen to insults
act scared
tell me to
laugh at their jokes
keep out of their way
and never fight back
I can’t I say
you have to they argue
it’s the only way
but I’ve watched Gō and Shunta
and I know they’re just waiting
to push me too far
at home I kick off my shoes
drop my backpack
head up to my room, planning
to lie down on my top bunk
but in my our room
my sister Cora’s playing teacher
with her second-grade friend
their stuffed animals
lined up in rows
all over the tatami
so I can barely
walk in the door
I holler at her
kick a stuffed moose
step on a squirrel
and slam the door
in the living room
I flop down on the couch
my face smooshed
against cushions
and lie there immobile
till Mom shouts from the kitchen
where she’s grading papers
that it’s time to do homework
and put on my aikido gi
and, by the way …
she needs to talk to me
about taking care of Cora
on Wednesdays
since she’s been offered
two more classes to teach
iyada—no way!
I yell into the cushion
nasty
just like Naho said it to me
but suddenly Mom’s hands
are hauling me up by one arm
Jason Parker she says
we don’t talk like that in this house
so go clean up the genkan
then start your homework
I move the stupid shoes
out of the way
and sweep the stupid genkan
then line up the shoes
with toes facing out
all proper
in case some neighbor
stops by
except
I pair the shoes
right shoe on left
and left shoe on right
hah!