anxious
surgery

waiting room
tic tac toe
winning
losing

waiting

can't
help
but
notice
not one
but
two

"Top Rated Doctor"
magazine covers
hanging
right
in
front
of
my face

waiting
still
…
called
back

disinterested
nurse

*****
-yet brisk-
cavalier
surgeon

cutting
sewing
apologizing
plainly
unemp­athetic

couldn't
help
the
tears
that
followed


and
for
taking
the
*******
time

to write
about
this
****