The other day
(No, Mrs. Stickler,
it doesn’t matter what day it was)
I was talking about an artistic practice I’d picked up
and then I referred to a better artistic practice
I’ve yet to exploit
that I learned about from my mentor.

“My mentor,” I said
in the middle of this conversation
like I’d asked this person to mentor me
and this person had agreed
and we’d signed the mentorship papers
and spat before shaking and dancing
those somber mentorship steps.

I didn’t do none of that shit with my mentor.
I barely even talk to my mentor.
And no, Mrs. Stickler, it doesn’t matter
who my mentor is
or isn’t.

I just follow the words
of that person
and their practices
carefully.

Is this a good way to live?
I wonder.
If there were but someone to ask…

Mrs. Stickler?