Superstitious

Everything that has
Happened, happened
Because I whistle indoors,
Spill salt shakers:
Salt the earth,
Spoil the seeds,
Curse myself.

Superstition manifests in the body,
Wrecking its guilt in
Ulcers, cancers (mine, and others'--
In this case, my mother's),
Nausea, sun stroke,
Sinking feelings, migraines,
Knees not as beautiful as other girls',
Bad teeth, dryness of the lips and feet,
Indigestion.

I have worn another woman's wedding ring,
Sat at the corners of tables,
Picked up unlucky pennies with holes in them,
Faked sick,
Forgotten to brush my teeth,
Intentionally left the phone to ring,
Driven a car to work,
Eaten fast food in public,
Shaken hands with men.
Each superstitious sin is a
symptom.