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"Field Trip" by Alana Saltz

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For you, Ms. Frizzle, I would fold

my hands around the curves of my stomach, dig

my fingernails into the flesh, rip

it open so you can go right inside.

Take your big-eyed bus full of curious children

and explore my mysterious body.

Watch organs lighting up a little too bright.

Red blood cells drifting lonely

like they’ve lost their best friends.

Scattered inflammations and infections hiding

in muscle and tissue.

Explain to the children that these are things

that make my body hurt

but not enough for anyone to see.

And when people don’t see something,

they don’t do anything.

Teach them that lesson.

It will always apply.

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