in the mailbox addressed to Ms. Alston Tyer / past the Miss threshold / grown to Ms. like propane tanks / the sound of hiss interim between puncture and disaster / I’d rather be disregarded or called captain at least / commander / I’ve earned titles half as much / sergeant first class / first cousin / first grandchild on one side / sixth on the other / godchild / godchild / what’s in my right hand / a blue bordered invitation to my godfather’s wedding / what’s on my left / nothing at all / they say a wheel spins more smoothly in a dug rut / deep enough with time a wheel will fall into line / whether it wants to or not / what’s another name for wheel / tire / tyre / the british way / a bastardization / that’s what my father is / well hold on I’m using logic here / by definition he is a bastard / his parents weren’t married / I slip from the envelope the invitation / he will be at this wedding / my little sister’s middle name on the paper / but she’s not going / she’s sixteen and lives with my mother / no this is her namesake we’re talking about / Warren / a labyrinth of rabbit burrows / the near-endless supply of rabbits the cats left on our porch steps / like the photo of a friend of mine whose father died while driving / she eloped to courthouse / didn’t wear white in the picture / but she’s there on the steps with her husband / she changed her surname to his / my mother picked my name because its rhythm sounded good on cotton cardstock / because it looked right printed silver on a wedding invitation