I-94

 

You’ve never had a face
like mine and
you’ve never been so dry and
in pain all the time, framed
by the same white-make up
day after day; I’m notched
on the side so everyone
who drives won’t swerve and dive
into my hair,
where the animals live, unaware
that when they care to visit
they’ll just get hit and die
and get dragged by their tails
down my cheek and their blood
will leak and get in my eyes
and the doctors will come
and clean me out
and fix my skin
and make me
beautiful again,
for a day.