Rebirth
by Shirley Hamilton


The ad in Glamour magazine promises
if I moisturize with Retinol
for twelve weeks,
the clock will reverse ten years.

If treat for only nine weeks
can I rescue seven years--

If I get that time back
I'll take a pregnancy test
then skip the x-rays
shun the steroids
postpone the surgery
just suffer the sinuses

and maybe
through some miracle of skin cream

I'll have a six-year old
instead of a stillborn son.






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