You've graduated. It's time to start
befriending poorly-designed characters, 
believing things they say and being re-assuring.  
Press your coffee evenly, re-tie all your shirt
buttons. When you stumble, remember that
you planned for this: one disfigurement after another
and then you will be fit. Other folks appreciate you.  
This will be your greatest moment. There are seven
easy tips for pies, neatly squared containers
and folios of coupons. You come upon a small village.  
Baroque aesthetics predominate, their ruffles shrieking “home.”

Paul Fauteux has published poetry in journals including Anima Magazine, Third Point Press, Ampersand, and others, in addition to contributing book recommendations to The Lit Pub. The Best Way to Drink Tea is out from Plan B Press, and his manuscript for How to Un-do Things was a semi-finalist in the 11th Annual Slope Editions Book Prize. He lives in Virginia, where he teaches high school English full-time. Follow him on Twitter @fauteupb.