National Poetry Month 2017 : nathan dueck,

DEGRASSI JUNIOR HIGH – Family

Season One

I don’t think I can

                                    (101)

confusing school.

I’d like to be president, but I can’t

control our fate as students.

I’d like to congratulate all candidates

concerned about youngsters in the third world.

                                    (102)

You can

concentrate, Arthur.

                                    (103)

I’ll see what I can

Contact Ms. Pelton in the Resource Centre today.

You can

Congratulations -- a real improvement.

Sure you can.

second-best president this school has ever had.

                                    (104)

You don’t seem like a very happy kid, but I can

Congratulations on that win, you guys.          

                                    (105)

Yes ladies, can

second husband let me be accurst!

Boy, can

confusing things inside your head.                                          

                                    (106)

I don’t think I can                              

                                    (107)

considering becoming sexually active should know about family planning and sexually-transmitted disease.

Thanks, but I can

considering becoming sexually active.

Can’t                           

                                    (108)

confident that this year’s projects will fare equally well.

Can

continued                                           

                                    (109)

Oh, Damon I can’t

continues

Sure we can

concerned about the problem of pollution.

(110)

If it’s the first time, you’re okay; you can’t     

                                    (111)

conception.

                                    (112)

I don’t think I can

                                    (113)

nathan dueck's middle name is russel, which means his initials spell “nrd.” His parents tell him that nobody knew that word when he was born, but dictionaries say otherwise. He is the author of king's(mère) (Turnstone Press, 2004) and he'll (Pedlar Press, 2014). His chapbook CANCON (from which this poem comes), is his second with above/ground press, after @BillMurray in Purgatorio (2013), and appears later this month.