Roof Deck
A poem by Michael T. Young

Roof Deck

Inside the mind it’s like a small house:
a fixer upper that’s not quite as roomy
as advertised. At one end, the ceiling
is too low for the daily jumping jacks.
In some corners, a darkness protrudes
like planks of unsanded wood with splinters
that might catch a sleeve or pierce a palm.
Here and there, an exposed beam or weak joint,
and somewhere you can’t determine,
a leaky faucet. Contrary to what’s expected,
these can seem like part of the design,
some modern take on exposed brick.
Your friends say it adds intrigue, but
you see them as shortcuts, poor attempts
to save money, and so you make an effort,
almost daily, to patch these spots, extend
the back rooms, replace the lighting
that’s never sufficient, or even install
a set of stairs to the next level. Or the next,
that final one where it’s hoped you can
build a roof deck and go out at night
to learn about your place among the stars.

About the Author:

Michael T. Young’s third full-length collection, The Infinite Doctrine of Water, was longlisted for the Julie Suk Award. He received a Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Jean Pedrick Chapbook Award. He also received honorable mention for the 2022 NJ Poets Prize. His poetry has been featured on Verse Daily and The Writer’s Almanac. It has also appeared in numerous journals including Pinyon, Talking River Review, Valparaiso Poetry Review and Vox Populi.  

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