Hell's Skin III
by Erin Elizabeth Kelly-Moen — Read all 1,670 poems by Erin Elizabeth Kelly-Moen
Thinking the worst is over
does not help now's disgust,
with spots and dots
and bulbous bumps, with itching,
with hundreds of rash heads,
there is always itching, even
scratching is getting old,
producing angry red lesions
and soreness, behind the knees
is the newest source of irritation,
since she used a rough napkin
to scratch off the boils. Foolish,
but it felt so damn good...
After being in pajamas for six days,
she decides to try to get dressed
this morning. The shirt and bra
aren't too bad, almost all vesicles
on the trunk have crusted over, the pants
turn into a rough file, catching on scabs
and rubbing sores raw, off they come,
may as well go back to pajamas, and,
damn, almost out of Calamine!
No word yet, about her blood tests,
a Pox on this pox, enough of this,
hmmm, didn't work, still here, there
and everywhere!! Her throat is getting sore,
she thinks of the horror of rash
inside her body, the virus rampaging,
flesh cringing, okay, gotta stop...
At the rate of growth and regrowth,
she figures 4-5 more days of malaise,
of intense itching, 'til the last
blister pops...time is ticking
so slowly..
.
Erin Moen
10/17/02
Monday, November 4, 2002
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Amor
You're a great writer, conveying the experience in a manner the reader can feel it!
-Becca