"BIGGER PERSON" by Aerik Francis
BIGGER PERSON
TRIED & CRIED & TRIED & CRIED & TRIED TO BE THE BIGGER PERSON BUT I KEPT ON GROWING GROWING BIGGER LIKE A PROBLEM STRETCHED THIN LIKE A CONDOM BUSTED MY ASS TO REACH THE HIGH ROAD UNTIL I WAS BUSTED & HIGH ROADSIDE RODE SORE BY THE STREETS BLOWN LIKE A MINE BLOWN LIKE A MIND MINED & UNDERMINED MY MIND IN THE GUTTER UTTERLY GUTTED BY ALL OF WHAT’S MINE UNTIL I OUTGREW EVEN THOSE LIKE ANOTHER PAIR OF PANTS APPARENTLY THAT’S PARITY NOW WHAT WILL I WEAR NOW THAT I’M WORN DOWN NOW THAT I’VE BEEN TRIED ON FOR SIZE EXTRAORDINARILY LARGE NOW I JUST WANT TO LOOK DECENT UPON MY DESCENT BECAUSE I KNOW MY FALL IS CALLING & GROWING TALLER & EVEN TALLER JUST LOOK
Audio: Aerik Francis read “BIGGER PERSON”
Aerik Francis is a poet & teaching artist based in Denver, Colorado, USA. Francis is currently serving as poet laureate of Adams County, Colorado (2025-2027). Francis is the author of the poetry chapbooks: BODYPOLITIC (Abode Press, 2026 ), and MISEDUCATION (New Delta Review, 2023). Francis has received poetry fellowship support from CantoMundo, Letras Latinas, SAFTA, the Chrysalis Institute, and The Watering Hole. They are also a poetry reader for Underblong poetry journal. Francis has poetry published widely, links of which may be found on their website phaentompoet.com . Find Aerik on social media @phaentompoet.
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