I stroke your head
and scratch your chin,
each touch saying,
Trust me, trust me.
But when you are
relaxed,
no longer on guard,
I push the syringe tip
quickly
into your mouth
and dispense
the (apparently) awful-tasting medication.
As you rear back
I wish I could
somehow communicate
that this betrayal was motivated
by tenderness,
by a heartfelt wish
for your well-being.
Completed May 9, 2021.