Strut and Thump

You grab silver boots
like a little baby with that
babysitter face poking a cigarette
into the magnolia cupcake frosting
I walk you to the park and the music
you play sounds like it should be
blaring from a frat house
your glum trudging strut and thump
is a sleepy medicine from a pharmacy
I know all about your habits
you keep a list written in a notebook
of gums you fear trident peppermint doublemint
it all starts to look like an act
a reason to think you might be putting
me on your jacket a patch you had made
of my smiling face on your shoulder
that freaked me out when you came in
the room like that saying look at this
and all you get is a delicate fever
from sugary fuel that makes me
feel icky and useless.