Perpetuate

My grandma died

Talking about weight loss

My girlfriends mom died

Talking about weight loss

My mom will probably die

Excitedly losing weight

Just the same

As the rest of them—

I think perhaps

My goal here

Is to be different—

I think perhaps my goal

Is to try and make

My dad admit he’s fat

One time

In his life

Before he dies, my goal is to

Perpetuate some of the trauma

He’s put onto me

Except instead of

Teaching my daughters how to hate themselves

I’ll teach the world

How we were all hated

Hoping some day

A whiff of shame

Smacks him on his dense, senseless pig face.