over symmetry,
asks again and again if one eye,
ear, breast, thumb, ankle
is larger, longer, redder, stiffer
or sharper than the other.
ear, breast, thumb, ankle
is larger, longer, redder, stiffer
or sharper than the other.
The madwoman’s every ache
is a tumor; every short breath,
a heart attack; every gas pain,
appendicitis; every muscle cramp,
blood clot; and every red eye,
imminent blindness.
She won’t use public toilets
or visit the sick at home or in hospital.
She reads articles on rare diseases,
develops symptoms.
The madwoman won’t see her doctor;
he’s not very good,
can never find anything wrong.
a heart attack; every gas pain,
appendicitis; every muscle cramp,
blood clot; and every red eye,
imminent blindness.
She won’t use public toilets
or visit the sick at home or in hospital.
She reads articles on rare diseases,
develops symptoms.
The madwoman won’t see her doctor;
he’s not very good,
can never find anything wrong.
Ann Howells has been writing poetry for some twenty years. Her work appeared recently in Agave, Apieron Review, Little Patuxent Review and other small press and university journals. She serves on the board of Dallas Poets Community (501-c-3) and edits the journal Illya’s Honey, recently taking it from print to digital.
Categories: Mental Health, Poetry, Themed
Tags: Ann Howells, e-zine, ezine, hyperbole, longing, melancholy, melancholy hyperbole, Mental Health, new, poem, poet, poetry, poets, submit, The madwoman obsesses, writing
Melancholy Hyperbole 
this kinda sums me up when i’m having a panic attack!