Blue Leopard Print

This poem was written about me by my BEST FRIEND, Shoshana.

I think sometimes,
all the graffiti in the train is symbolic
of your desire for significance.
The red walls are engraved with
Elliott Smith, and
witty remarks about your ex boyfriend.

So strong is your desire to be heard,
your claims are announced on your thighs,
bold words in bold letters on bold parchment.

You're like a walking billboard,
with your intent made clear
before any action.

You take an orange pill
to make you talk fast
twenty or so red pills
to make you talk slow
a blue pill
to make you think before you talk.

All these chemicals are
dictating your words.

Plaid skinny jeans and teased hair,
you're so grunge when
you want to be heroin chic.

They wish you'd just slow down.
You'd just speed up,
you'd just stop all this
and be mama's little girl.
To compensate, you're robed
in childish garb;
lion hair ties and pigtails.

The treachery of trivial tasks
is too much;
Temperance is tasteless.
It's funny the lengths you'll go to
just for your fix,
but you can't do anything
to appease anyone
but yourself.

I found you one night
the color of a
lingering bruise.
green and brown, basking
in a scent of fresh vomit.
I fear for your life every day.

But, damn.
That blue leopard print pill bottle
is so heroin chic.