Jessie

by Derek Crook

Jessie clumped down her steps,
her body heavy with flesh,
her mind with drugs.

Her doctors could not help
her body lose its flesh
but they could help her
keep some imitation of a mind.

The shy smile came quickly
but was not focussed on my eyes.
Something pharmaceutical
was greeting me.

She did not see the day was nice
but peacefully agreed with me
that it was nice. Somehow
the niceness of the day
wasn't with me any more.