i no longer *have* to be anywhere
on april fools day
if it lands on a week-day

and for this, i am grateful

my school-years were filled with
mondays/tuesdays/wed/thurs/fridays
of april 1
and constant
constant
anxiety

it’s not even like i had a prank-gone-wrong
or anything mean like that
happen to me
directly

but i grew up in the age of
disney channel originals
and nickelodeon tv shows
and candid camera
and that one ashton kutcher reality thing
and just by virtue of being aware
of terrible
horrible
pranks
gave me a perpetual panic edge
every april first

[yes, just living in a society
with no personal experience
can change one’s
perception
of everything]

[there’s an implication here for something more,
societally,
but i’d rather spend this foolish day
chilling
and gathering
calmness around me]