She's So Heavy

By Amy Lipman

You are a tree
Little woman, shake a leg!
One-footed, old stump
We sold the other to the grocer
Because you cried for food

Your eyes have turned to breeze
Rock the baby in your head
Keep track of wooden dolls
That big brother shames to bed

Liquor cabinets douse us with
Suburban Living’s freeze
The King is unemployed, and it’s because of you
If you’d just stop growing
He would be a big man

I stopped eating when I set
The alarm off at my sisters’
I’d gone out running in the morning
Before breakfast could infect me
When all the police came
I thought they’d heard about my hunger
And I swore I’d never put anything inside my mouth
That would make me feel dirty
That would make some call me woman

All your pleasantries pollute me
You’re every tropical commercial
For romantic getaways
On impoverished TV screens

Little sister
Wingless angel
Show me how high you jump
Mom and dad say that you’re treasure
But all I’ve touched is junk