POETRY
medical jargon, medical trauma
have you taken your pills today?
topiramate, rizatriptan, venlafaxine,
make sure you take with a meal
make sure you take at the same time every day
make sure you take exactly as prescribed
make sure you fight your insurance to cover a refill
no, no, nothing’s wrong with you
just take this pill
and maybe this one
and maybe this one as needed
don’t ask me what as needed means
because you should know
just take your pills
no, no, nothing’s wrong with you,
you don’t need more scans
they’re really expensive anyways
your insurance won’t cover them
here, take this pill
your total for today’s 36 second visit is
eight hundred dollars
oh, sorry, didn’t we tell you we moved
out of network?
you can discuss payment plans here
in this upright coffin with a window
to the undertaker ready with a payment screen
asking if you’d like to leave a gratuity for today’s services
have you been taking your pills?
did you read the pamphlet of side effects?
that’s probably why you’re experiencing them —
you know there’s nothing really wrong with you.
Chelsea Brown, 2024
