Stranged

Poetry Month #7

a few years ago before we were so worried about
Russian intelligence taking our identities and
deep faking our decisions
before we had forgotten the definition of
Presidential
or redefined it at least
there was an online game where
you’d upload a selfie and the app
would generate your face
opposite gender

and no matter how many selfies
I tried to upload
or angles I tried to get right
there was never a fabricated face
that looked as much like male me
as my brother already

so when I say I see myself in him
fast talk and foolish hands
charismatic criminal
caution to the wind
what I mean is I was there when he learned
to ride a bike
what I mean is we have the same cheekbones
sloping nose
mine imperfectly feminine
his perfectly masculine
the same set jaw
chin
lines beside eyes
lies upon lies
tattooed arms and
traumatic backgrounds