I have more than one woman
who is afraid
that she will be homeless
and run out
of medicine
fear and stress
an early visit
because she has run out
early
and frightened of what
I will say or do
the looming abyss
of living in the car
in withdrawal
I do not yell
schedule a return
when there is still health insurance
her pupils dilate
as we talk of the food bank
social services
cutting expenses to the bone
selling a car
selling their things now
now now now
before they have to walk away
her pupils dilate
as I talk about reducing her dose
if there is a tsunami
I tell people to cut their dose in half
immediately
as they don't know when they will reach safety
as they don't know when they will get more
three of our four pharmacies
at water level
would be gone
I hear the hospital stocks
three days of medicines
but for her
reduce by 1/6 every two to four weeks
propranolol
for a racing heart
I am so sad
she leaves more frightened
than before