A Summer Birthday in Early Middle Age

By Vincent Antonio Rendoni

come over / we got a/c /
two bottles of propane / basil & nectarines /
carne asada / we got everything /
we’re drinking less / well / we’re trying /
the anniversary wine is peaking /
ok / it’s a little past its prime /
tell me about your plants / your tinder dates /
pickings are slim / see that article in the atlantic /
remember when / tell me about your stupid kids /
how are your parents / i’m sorry /
here's a link to that recipe /
lactose intolerance / celiac disease / AI /
gut bacteria / haha ibuprofen / am i right /
scheduled sex / only if i’m not tired / only if there’s time /
no one’s drinking or fucking anymore / there was an article online /
what else even is there / are we so out of touch /
no / it’s the children who are wrong /
last night / we split an edible /
can’t do a whole one / stayed up thinking anyway /
which is worse: / if there’s something after this / or isn’t / so / should i start grilling / it’s later than we think /
the sun is still out / let’s take a picture / we’ll be happy we did / i always forget / do we really have that many chins / no / ew / take it again

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Vincent Antonio Rendoni is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection Dead Chicano Mixtape (Red Hen Press, 2027) and A Grito Contest in the Afterlife (Catamaran, 2022), winner of the Catamaran Poetry Prize as selected by Dorianne Laux. His work has appeared in AGNI, Prairie Schooner, Alaska Quarterly Review, Ninth Letter, and Pleiades. He lives in White Center, WA.