Getting better

they told her it was pre-cancer

like she was pre-registering for

wedding gifts

don’t worry they said

the next test will tell us more

and more and more

but the test cost money and no smiles

from the financial counselor will discount

the little pre-cancer cells into a willingness

to wait

they keep dividing and mutating and growing

stealing hope like vultures feasting on road kill

you’ll be better—for a price

but first, another test.

J. Masuda © 2008