Day 288

I just finished a marathon writing session courtesy of my lovely grad class, so please enjoy this poem from a few years ago.

---

Happy Holidays

It’s time for the company holiday party

but I don’t want to go

because my aunt just died and

my mom is falling apart

and I hate the holidays

because they’re so unbearably lonely

but my boss and the HR lady told me to go

and get over it but they don’t understand

and now my chest feels tight

and I wonder if I’m having an asthma attack

and I call my mom because

suddenly I’m scared

and she tells me to call 911

so I go to my boss

and freeze at his door

afraid to admit my weakness

but he sees me and I panic

and I tell him I need help

and when the paramedics arrive

the room suddenly feels smaller

and all I want to do is breathe again

but they want to know what’s wrong

and why my heart is beating so fast

and do I have a list of my medications

and I rattle them off:

Modafinil, Venlafaxine, Buproprion and Metformin

and what are those for they ask

and I have to tell the truth

and tell them it’s for my depression

and my diabetes

and why are my coworkers still in here

and have I just disclosed my biggest secret

and what will they say

and have I mentioned how much I hate the holidays?