"Field Trip" by Alana Saltz
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.