Chronic Illness

Fortesa Latifi

Work (plain text):

chronic illness
Fortesa Latifi
Poem

I am always begging my body not to be so broken
but my body just laughs because it knows who started
this war. on days like this, I am ashamed to look in the
mirror so I lie in bed and pretend to be someone else.
the pretending is another thing to be ashamed of but
that is a story for later. everything I’ve ever
wanted is miles away from my outstretched hands.
I’m beginning to question the point of desire
and things are getting bad again. but sometimes
there are more practical things to consider
like co-pays and insurance companies. I stay in bed.
if only things would hurt in a clearer way.

Latifi, F. (2016, February 10). Chronic illness. https://thefemlitmagazine.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/2poems-fortesa-latifi/?

Work:

Copyright / permissions:

Latifi, F. (2016, February 10). Chronic illness. https://thefemlitmagazine.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/2poems-fortesa-latifi/?

Biography:

Fortesa Latifi is a 22-year old poet. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona and calls the desert home. Her first book, This Is How We Find Each Other, was published through Where Are You Press in 2014 and she still can’t believe it. Her work has been featured in Persona, Words Dance, Femrat, Kosovo 2.0, Rising Phoenix, Human Parts, Mend, and is forthcoming in To Write Love On Her Arms. She is currently a contributing editor at Words Dance Magazine where she gets to sing about poetry all day long. Her second book, We Were Young, was published through Where Are You Press in November 2015. She hopes it reminds you of being young and having lipstick smudged on your teeth.