Is/Not by Margaret Atwood
Love is not a profession genteel or otherwise
sex is not dentistry the slick filling of aches and cavities
you are not my doctor you are not my cure,
nobody has that power, you are merely a fellow/traveller
Give up this medical concern, buttoned, attentive,
permit yourself anger and permit me mine
which needs neither your approval nor your suprise
which does not need to be made legal which is not against a disease
but agaist you, which does not need to be understood
or washed or cauterized, which needs instead
to be said and said. Permit me the present tense.
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