to bear the pain
the pain that reigns
over everything that I do.
I don't want another
Hallmark poem
or another box of candy
which the nurses will just take anyway.
"It's no good for you," they say,
"it rots your teeth."
I DON'T HAVE NO MORE TEETH DAMMIT!
But of course they never listen
they just smile
their plastic smiles
then turn
and walk away.