Performed by Val Cole

MILKSHAKE, by Leslie DuFresne

In having everything and nothing to do all at once,
this mother strips herself bare
of dignity. I do what I have to.
The happy meds I fed my mind this morning
kicked themselves in
far past the buzzed feel-good uprights
landing amidst a stadium of Zombies.
One of the Zombies reared its head
and took my place,
crept into position
behind my un-sobered mind’s wheel.
In search of a milkshake
an already meaningless jaunt
A request from the back seat
It’s not a matter of yes or no –
Just duty.

Numbness plays its sweet victory over my limbs
My mind – a broken stop light
Flashing – but nonfunctioning –
A purposeless machine
like the broken ice cream maker
that greets us at the drive thru
as it has various days before
with the same answer
‘Not working’ they say
Day after day
The insanity repeats itself
hoping for a fix.

In the end, what does it matter to this
purpose waster
Zombie walker
duty deliverer?
Around and around this mother goes
Doing everything but nothing at all.

–Leslie DuFresne