I took you like an oath of office. Swear
you said. Remember what you said? I swore,
my left hand thick inside your book, the glare,
our sweat, bad homemade porn paused right before
you said Uphold me. Funny that you put it
all behind you – home, fat child, faith and practice –
mounting our podium packed into that singlet
you or I had bought for you or me, latex
all the rage that year, that year my rage
flew door to door draped in bunting while whole
impoverished wards turned out – the underage,
the overfed, the indigent, that troll
whose name I can’t remember – Parker, Todd –
who never called me back so help me god –