Happy Insomniac

Kidney Stone

by Marisa N. Pickar

My kidney was an alarm clock
at 5 in the morning
thought it was my appendix
screaming for escape
December crept into July
fireworks fizzled
pop, crack, dud
morphine baby morphine
could childbirth be any worse
NO
tears from my lungs
brings another blonde nurse and
a beautiful shot of Madame M
doctor says I need to urinate
but I can't so they want to stick
a tube in my bladder
yeah right
As blondie walks me to the bathroom
his big, strong, supportive nurse's hand
decides my breast needs holding
but Madame M doesn't mind
upstairs to X-ray and
a failed comedian turned
radiology technician
gets to stand behind a wall
while my body sucks up all the radiation
but Madame M doesn't mind
Called Dad to say I might need an operation
he said call when it's over
so Madame M takes another dive
off the shallow end and the doc
says it's a stone--
go home and wait for it to pass
and by the way, urinate into this cup
and save whatever comes out
and Madame M looks up at the doc
and
smiles