Rx

By Michael A. Griffith

July 2, 2018 ✍ Poetry poem unrhymed

Michael A. Griffith began writing poetry as he recovered from a life-changing injury. His poems, essays, and non-fiction articles have appeared in many print and online publications and anthologies. He resides and teaches near Princeton, NJ.

Child-like scrawl,
serpent's belly run through ink,
a prescription for another pill.

Nine orange bottles now
on the kitchen table next to vitamins, pepper, and napkins.

Will this new drug betray any of the eight others I now swallow?
The two I inject?
The foods I ingest?
The body and blood of
Doctor,
how well do you heal me?
Heal thyself (as you would heal those who trespass against thee).

Doctor, how do you know so well,
prescriber or describer?

Doctor, how well do you know me?
Do no harm (that you care to know about)

Doctor, how do you make me well
healer or preventer?

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