Law Enforcing

later two uniforms step up mother
shakes me awake her stuttering hands

nervous butterflies my shoulders escorted to parked
cruiser in navy blue silence handcuffs

glimmer in the mid-afternoon sun jangle
in 2/4 time gravel crunches beneath my

feet over my tongue their front-seat
pleasure to protect and serve a

round of good cop bad cop out
ranks my backseat bottle fatigue

inky scribbles sever his and hers liquid
fingerprints smudge order Gentlemanly

Manners holds open the door Official
Business snatches his clipboard I rub

guilt–stained palms over unsteady thighs stand
barefoot casting shallow graves

of stone their prize safeguarded
in their holsters under their hats

From "Something to Hide" a chapbook of poetry shortlisted for the Shaunt Basmajian Chapbook Award.