Haven't written much poetry since high school, but thought it would be worth a try. Based on an unsuccessful blood donation (during which my veins collapsed) and an unsuccessful post-donation recovery at the Massachusetts State House (when I got really, really dizzy).*
"In Vein"
Bluish, purple
Spreading out through your palm
Leading up your arms, your legs
Branching over your chest
Just under the skin
Like some kind of rare parasite
A little bouncy like a tendon
But softer, thinner
Bluish, purple, green
At the site of a bruise
Where I tried to give
Once they collapsed
In vein
Once I collapsed
Had to leave a state house tour
For a bottle of juice
It's not kosher
But it's sugar
In vein
And I'm back
In a chair
For twenty minutes
But for another person, my loss is their gain
My blood is lost and found in their vein
* = Whenever you donate blood, don't skimp on the 10-15 minutes you're supposed to spend drinking water and eating cookies before going home and try to slow down for the next several hours. The dizziness I had was from leaving too early and following a walking tour group.
