"Never Land"--Yusef Kumunyakaa

I don't wish you were one
of The Jackson Five
tonight, only you were

still inside yourself
unchanged by the vampire
moonlight. So eager to

play The Other,
did you forget
Dracula was singled out

because of his dark hair
& olive skin? After
you became your cover,

tabloid headlines
grafted your name
to a blond boy's.

The personals bled
through newsprint,
across your face. Victor

Frankenstein knew we must
love our inventions. Now,
maybe skin will start to grow

over the lies & subtract
everything that under-
mines nose & cheekbone.

You could tell us if
loneliness is what
makes the sparrow sing.

Michael, don't care
what the makeup
artist says, you know

your sperm will never
reproduce that face
in the oval mirror.