Poem #710

a vice gripping my vagina
white-black rips the edge of my vision
it’s been building the whole time
I shove pills in my mouth
chasing them with scalding water
please, make this work
I gulp another one for good measure
the light turns green
the car slugs home
every position is pain
until the medicine creeps in

Poem #708

shadow of the fan strobing on the ceiling
my skin burns like hot ice
maybe I should sleep
fall into the heavy slumber of summer
dream of lazily watching bugs crawl over me
their minuscule legs tickling my arms and legs
they bite
I scratch the pink welts raw
maybe I should stay awake