Dextrose Poem by Nassy Fesharaki

Dextrose

Someone asked: “You know her? ”
The question strange and “Queer”

Kids played; very young, toddlers
Among them that small cute girl
Rosy cheeks and happy, long soft, hair
A kitten with round eyes, a Persian

“I don’t know” I replied, partially in anger.
Soon things changed, was glad to know her.
She was there, almost dead when saw her.
Her two arms and two legs four sticks.

I worked in pharmacy
Told to take dextrose
One litter

Dr.’s note:
“Time drops, inject it
Not in vein, but, under the ski.”

With bottle upside-down in hanging
Pipes, needle connected in place, set drops
It was hard to find a right spot
The skin on her arm, a bulldog’s.
But I did
Everything was exact; as ordered.

It took long
Midnight passed
My eyes red with sleep
Against wall had to lean
God knows time that went by
At the end, a balloon had become, bony arm
I had heard the skin’s noise leaving bone.
Mind raking; nerve shaking.

Now, learning she was her
I felt as in heaven, promised
I wondered what to say
Except for “thank you God”