Three Poems – Erin Schick

Reflections on the difference between thanatophobia and joie de vivre

I say I’m dying
and no one believes me
or I say I’m dying
and everyone agrees
or I say I’m dying
and there’s no one left to hear

I’m dying and everything matters
and none of it 
I haven’t moved in days
and, magically, neither has the house
my bedroom floor is a mass grave
of clothes that do not fit
last week I said
in the morning, I will start the dishwasher
tonight it is still full
but it is still night
all of these problems I cannot solve

I just sleep 
and sleep
and stare inside myself

the Netflix queue is full 
of interesting movies I haven’t seen yet
instead I am watching the fourth season of 
grey’s anatomy 
for the tenth time this year
because I know how it ends