ONE: REQUISITE 

I. 

​

Ambition is a sin  

if and only if 

you have made the unfortunate mistake

of womanhood. 

​

Otherwise,  

congratulations. 

​

II. 

​

bruises of rejection fade  

with the passing of each dawn—

and yet failure’s silver blade 

never from her heart was drawn 

​

III. 

​

Tomorrow will find me 

Folding gently into myself 

To escape the withering gaze  

Of yesterday

 

​

TWO: REQUITAL 

IV. 

 

to witness suffering 

​

I cannot tell 

when I witness suffering 

whether 

I feel it 

deeply, profoundly,  

​

Or  

 

Whether I do not feel it at all 

​

​

V. 

 

What am I doing wrong?

I have several

theories 

and no one I trust enough to ask

​

VI. 

​

Meaningless apologies 

​

I am so sorry 

that you are dying 

and there is nothing I can do 

​

I am so sorry  

that I come here every day and just watch 

as you struggle to breathe 

​

I am so sorry 

that I have grown  

un-moved 

by your cries of suffering 

​

And I am so sorry 

that I have made Your Pain

about Me

 

VII. 

​

I am tired 

of being so fucking exhausted 

 

VIII. 

 

anatomy of a physician 

​

cold hands 

warm heart 

dead eyes 

book smart 

​

tried to care 

was told no 

tried to leave 

could not go 

​

​

IX. 

 

late winter suicide 

 

thank goodness

february is only 28 days 

 

there is rarely a

february that does not

make me contemplate

whether 

I’d really rather go on living

​

​

THREE: REQUIEM 

X. 

​

what if life is the thing that  

keeps on living 

​

and we are only here 

to hold it for a little while? 

 

there are worse things to be 

than a vessel. 

​

​

XI. 

my most prized possession 

​

the tangerine-colored pill bottle 

on my bedside stand 

that holds 

the small white tablets that 

have turned my apathy to contentment

 

and they say you can’t buy happiness

​

XII. 

​

Once upon a lemon morning, 

dipped in amethyst Delight, 

Gratitude set to adorning 

Beauty like an acolyte. 

​

Justice wore a wreath of primrose,

Virtue donned a crown of dreams.

Water cool as noontime shadows

danced in Daytime’s winding streams.

 

Like the dawn, Creation gathered.

Like the dusk, Belief advanced. 

Like the evening, Truth and Time stirred.

Like the nighttime, Wonder danced. 

 

Once upon a burning morrow, 

rising like an amber flame, 

Righteousness took hold of Sorrow,

Dignity defeated Shame.