AUTOGRAPH

whipping the black ink

into the curve of the r in reynolds

glancing from autograph

to autobiography in her eyes

my father’s in prison

she whispered

her life half-written

i go to alternative school

she whispered

red-marked awk? nec? sp?

thank you for what you said

her voice broke

spine out shelved already in hardback

i just need a second chance

i’m not bad

i just need a second chance

you know

she said

I know

I said

capping the black ink

staring into her story

watching a person become

permanent marker