day THREE HUNDRED and THREE

hair

paul ryan

is a nice man

because he’s got good hair

he’s a handsome man

my mother thinks

therefore he is trustworthy

paul ryan would never take a knee

in front of the american flag

and the trunp boys are so well groomed

with their hair parted back

and to the side

like your high school graduation photo

my mother says

why can’t you wear your hair like that again

like the trump boys?

maybe i should go and kill a lion too

i think

but instead i nod and drink my wine

look at my gray and greasy visage

in the reflection of her tv and shrug

that ivanka is so well-spoken

my mother says

you can tell that she really loves her dad

and would do anything for her kids

and her husband is so handsome

with his hair parted to the side

and not a trace of facial hair

i hope that he and paul ryan both get ass cancer

i say out loud

but everyone laughs

because no one really

wishes that kind of shit on people

my mother says,

but i don’t understand trump

she says,

all of that money and all of that power

and you want to tell me that he can’t

do anything about that hair of his?

it’s a shame, she says

an american tragedy, i agree

then i have some more wine

and go down to the basement

to take a good old hearty shit

for uncle sam

for america

and in celebration

for all of the well-groomed white men

burying america

with their hair products

and suburban charm

--John Grochalski