Kareem Parkins-Brown

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Split

After Gboyega Odubanjo, after César Vallejo

I will live in the same town as a bunch of my clones
We will gather in the square like bathing pigeons
My body split into many bodies    It is impossible for me to die
I’m surrounded by so much me every reflection in town is a movie
of my faces    He has been here for centuries they’ll say
invasive species they may call me danger
to the wildlife but I’m just living my life my G
How much more of him is there to come they say
We cannot handle any more it is impossible we are
overflowing the streets are slippery with him

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KAREEM PARKINS-BROWN is a writer and visual artist from Grahame Park Estate, NW9. His work concerns hood surrealism and grief. He was almost Young Poet Laureate for London, was shortlisted for the Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship and won the Roundhouse Poetry Slam.