The Boy

By Michelle Matz

---

I watch the plane approach the gate, 
the travelers disembark 

weary & bedraggled
readjusting straps, shifting a bag’s weight 

one hand to another.
A woman stops, abruptly

turns to her teenage son, 
where is your bag?

I watch as the drama unfolds—
the bag left in the overhead compartment 

fault angrily volleyed
though it’s clear it was the boy’s responsibility 

to remember. It is a loss easily recovered—
the gate agent already on the phone—

but what broke is broken   
still—

his mother’s hands 
clenched, her voice

a blade, 
while the boy

still learning the shape 
of his life

quietly averts his eyes. 

---

Michelle Matz’s poems have appeared, or are forthcoming, in numerous publications, including Mud Season Review, Atlanta Review, The Lascaux Review, Dodging the Rain, and Atticus Review. Her chapbook was a semifinalist in the Ledge Poetry Contest and was published in 2006. Her book, Acoustic Shadow, was recently published by Main Street Rag. Michelle lives in San Francisco where she is a high school dean.

---

• 02/13 / Poetry Reading and Conversation with visiting poet-in-residence Alafia Sessions + local writer Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello / The BBar at The Betsy-South Beach, Miami Beach, FL / Live and Live-Streamed on Instagram Live/Facebook Live at @swwimmiami / 7-8:30 pm EST / Free

• SWWIM Every Day is now accepting poetry translations for publication consideration. Please see swwim.org/submit for the full guidelines.

• Are you a SWWIMmer with literary news to share (publication/feature/award/book/book review)? We’d love to shout out your accomplishments in our Weekly Spotlight! Please email swwimmiami@gmail.com with a link to your news. (No DMs on any social media platforms, please.)

• Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Bluesky for more updates—and visit our website to see past, present, and future readings & events.

---

**We do our best to preserve the integrity of each poem; however, due to programming limitations, some poems may read differently on a mobile phone and in certain browsers. For best viewing, use Chrome on a desktop/laptop.