the prelude to a coffin

There are a million ways to die in a CVS.
Laxatives to let you eat and keep you thin;
appetite suppressants when your organs stop working; decaying; sluggish and beaten
but who cares? you can't see them
(the scale is on sale and
the numbers it shows better be
less than you paid)

There are a million ways to die in Sephora.
Potions and poisons and glamorous coffins
mascara, perfume, collagen, and powders
and we pray, we pray to the gods of Loreal and Chanel;
bring offerings to Mac and Clinque!
white-washed tombs turn to spring colors;
Mademioselle scented; ruby red rouged; our tombs are
hydrated and lifted and brightened and forever 21

There are a million ways to die in Vogue.
death by credit cards and fabric
protruding bones and blank eyes
caricatures of love
models and envy and my heart breaks because i'm so ugly.

(there is only one way to live but
he bids me come and die
and i
am a coward)