Neruda, 100 Love Poems

I want an altar in my bathroom for prednisone
imposter in a rayon suit synthetic trying its best
robber baron in cream or pill on a joyride of healing
when too much inflammation is a sunburn
after a lovely day at the seashore
Let’s be red-faced about it there are occasions
when a corticosteroid is a lover stroking a blight
on skin that was ambushed all surprised and puff-balled
and the steroid soothed it into a moan of relief
I want to love you like that rash, love you like
the pharmaceutical company loves the chronic

I want to search for you on Google explore your sensual
chemical codes caress your bottle or tube I want to be grateful
for indigestion sleepless nights amped up
on your uppers of doom with a kiss of nausea
bone loss and a further fucked-up immune system

Seduce me — I went out with you on a couple of dates
dinners with food poisoning
I ache for you