Poem: Baron

Baron

O, that sad giraffe, to live
in the presidential zoo.
His mother was a vampire
and his father a punchline.

And that poor giraffe looks sad
on his way to private school—
the crested blazer can’t hide
his teenage devastation
because he has to live in
that dumb presidential zoo,
walking behind the punchline,
next to the vampire woman,
and pretend that anything’s
okay behind the punchline—
to pretend that it is fine
that your dad is the same age
as your vampire mom’s parents.

It’s hard to be a kid,
especially when you are a
very noticeable one.
Too bad for the poor giraffe.

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