February 10, 1982

It’s bright! It’s cold!——

I don’t wanna get out of bed!
I’m not fully awake.

I’m surrounded by strangers, naked no less.

There’s a mirror set before me——

Everyone sees the seven-pound blob I’ve become.

Someone in mask, cap, and glove

Takes me, cleans me, wraps me in warmth

Though it’s not the warmth I knew before.

There is one whose voice I recognize;

She holds me close, smiles at me.

She waits for me to open my eyes...

I’m not ready to wake up—I need more time.

Give me another three to six decades...

Then, maybe, I’ll understand why I’m here.