By Carol Lynn Stevenson Grellas
They will tell you: do not apply powders
on the day of your appointment─
do wear a 2 piece outfit, the top
half easily removed for a quick
change, as we provide a loose upper
gown, free of buckles and zippers─
the same one you wore last time;
celadon green, washed and pressed,
stored with all the old films.
Avoid long dangly earrings, saved
for Saturday nights and the supple
grace of your décolletage.
Never bring children, they will not
be able to accompany you to the x-ray
department, where you will be asked
to reach in and guide your fleshy
teardrop to the imaging machine,
for what is termed; a routine screening─
but someone forgot to mention
nothing about this is routine.
Previously published in Yale Journal of Humanities in Arts, March 2012
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