Adam Clay

AGAINST CONFUSION

I never remember a name, I always
forget a face walking around in the early morning
hours with my eyes, nose, and mouth
god knows where. Just short of twenty-five
years of teaching, and I imagine a room
filled with all of my students. They’ve
swapped names and their life stories,
all but one, and I have to figure out who
they are. I’m friends on social media
with a student who died unexpectedly.
I don’t know why, but her profile
is a sounding board of grief and love
and just now I looked to see when her
birthday is and it’s today, probably
why I summoned her into the poem.
I say all of this so I’ll remember it,
a momentary wall against forgetfulness.

ADAM CLAY is the author, most recently, of Circle Back (Milkweed Edition, 2024). He teaches at Louisiana State University.