Her New Necklace

This poem was recently published by Querencia Press in their 2022 Autumn Anthology.

Click here and here (e-book version) to buy a copy and support under-represented artists and indie publishers. Check out all their other awesome titles here.

Her New Necklace

They slit your throat.

Gloved hands

went in

and grabbed your glands.

Snip-snap.

They emptied you

into various jars,

labeled neatly

like malignant files:

Thyroid.

Lymph nodes.

Erroneous parts of you

cleared away completely.

They wipe your blood

for the unveiling of

a shiny new necklace

carefully clasped

back together

with simple stitches.

Which matches

the thinly woven

gown and

hairnet crown

they’ve scantly

wrapped around you

to be carried

down

the aisle

of shimmering

linoleum.

All the while,

the chorus

of monitors

are singing.

Back in your room

there’s a knock

It’s about to begin;

The after-party, that is.

“Come in!”

The nurses do,

tired, smiling waitresses

skating and serving

cocktails

to you.

They all stop

to admire

your neck’s

new accessory.

“Girl, that’s some of the best

work I’ve seen.”

I notice you smile;

dreamy and composed

as if behind those eyes

a part of you knows

this is but a part

you were cast to play.

And why not?

You’ve always been fashionable,

even when it’s an IV you’re fashioned to