Poem
Michelle Green
IT’S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE
IT’S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE
IT’S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE
It’s a put your hands over your earserase your fears science
It’s a leech under the skin
suck the blood demons within science
It’s a thin science
a hide the blister packs in the bin science
It’s a one way chemical pathway
through your brain to sane science
a fill in the form again science
A sit in the waiting room
for free samples
don’t think about the test groups
negative examples
general practitioners on three hours sleep science
It’s a holistic help don’t come cheap science
A drop your jaw and make the leap
flavour of the week science
It’s a tick box analysis
black hole paralysis
paroxetine to quiet your scream science
it’s a monotone dream science.
A habit forming trip to the grey zone
The space between the channels
The buzz at the edge of earshot
pain clot science
It’s a passive robot
tab under the tongue
to lower the pound of your heart
push you together
then tear you -
hold onto your soul
with both hands
hold on with both hands science
It’s a desert tongue hung
high in the back of your throat
Ambition dried
to the hem of your coat
Salt stains on your new shoes
everything to lose science
not a cheap cigarettes and booze science
A clean lined laboratory approved
profit perforated
margins infused with
on-site employee health spas
stock incentives
and a real artificial lake
for
when
you
take
your break
science
a taste so fake science
It’s fifteen years old
sat in a hot bath
opening up a wrist
pumping fist
That’s not our problem
they were always at risk science
(put your hands over your ears erase your fears)
It’s twice the urge to slice
(hands over your ears hands over your ears)
in test groups of healthy people
(overyrearsoveryrearsover)
under the age of eighteen
And that’s a fact
It is not
an exact
science
© 2006, Michelle Green
Michelle Green
(United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1976)
Michelle Green was born in Portsmouth and brought up in Cornwall and Canada. Her poems and short stories have appeared in a variety of anthologies, publications and radio shows, including the recent issue of Citizen 32 magazine, as well as the upcoming Bitch Lit (Crocus Books 2006) and City Secrets (Crocus Books 2002) short story anthologies.
Poems
Poems of Michelle Green
Close
IT’S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE
It’s a put your hands over your earserase your fears science
It’s a leech under the skin
suck the blood demons within science
It’s a thin science
a hide the blister packs in the bin science
It’s a one way chemical pathway
through your brain to sane science
a fill in the form again science
A sit in the waiting room
for free samples
don’t think about the test groups
negative examples
general practitioners on three hours sleep science
It’s a holistic help don’t come cheap science
A drop your jaw and make the leap
flavour of the week science
It’s a tick box analysis
black hole paralysis
paroxetine to quiet your scream science
it’s a monotone dream science.
A habit forming trip to the grey zone
The space between the channels
The buzz at the edge of earshot
pain clot science
It’s a passive robot
tab under the tongue
to lower the pound of your heart
push you together
then tear you -
hold onto your soul
with both hands
hold on with both hands science
It’s a desert tongue hung
high in the back of your throat
Ambition dried
to the hem of your coat
Salt stains on your new shoes
everything to lose science
not a cheap cigarettes and booze science
A clean lined laboratory approved
profit perforated
margins infused with
on-site employee health spas
stock incentives
and a real artificial lake
for
when
you
take
your break
science
a taste so fake science
It’s fifteen years old
sat in a hot bath
opening up a wrist
pumping fist
That’s not our problem
they were always at risk science
(put your hands over your ears erase your fears)
It’s twice the urge to slice
(hands over your ears hands over your ears)
in test groups of healthy people
(overyrearsoveryrearsover)
under the age of eighteen
And that’s a fact
It is not
an exact
science
IT’S NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE
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