the virgin hospitalized

by palafax

Posted to Poetry on 2002-07-08 08:17:00

fold the arms down
on this sterile hospital bed
push the plastic bowl closer
and the pillows under my head
cover up my feet
i’ll catch my death in here
my complexions turning yellow
wearing this turquoise for a year
my hair feels awfully greasy
my nails seem terribly long
my catheter needs adjusting
nurses always do it wrong
you think these spots are fading
but they’re making room for more
what hurts more than my invalidity
is when they deem me a whore
my best friend is here
he’s at the foot of my bed
telling me it will be all right
he knows what it’s like to be dead