Pesto

2021 5th & 6th Grade Poetry Honorable Mention

Just lunch
Take a bite of
pesto
I love pesto
Regular food
Wait.
Throat throbbing
Tongue buzzing
Lips tingling
Not just regular food
I’ve been here before
I know what this is
Yelling across rooms
Mama getting the Epi-pen
It is long and skinny
A very ugly shade of yellow
Something that will both
Save my life
But
Hurt
I would rather save my life though
Waiting for the stab
Finally, it comes
The pain is like an elephant on my leg
Pressure on the Bandaid
Pressure will make it hurt more now
And feel better later
Even now, there is a bruise appearing
The color of rainbow ice cream
When you mix the colors
Hives rising now
My skin is the texture of tree bark
When you rub your hands on it
Rushing towards the hospital
Across on the ferry to Greenport
Shaking
Shaking
Shaking
Pull up in the parking lot
Lying down in the cold hospital bed
Doctor comes in and drones the usual stack of boring questions

Lots.
Too many
     “What time did you eat the pesto?”
     “When did you give the Epipen?”
     “How do you feel now?”
I think,
When can I get out of this place?
Why is there such a thing as allergies?
Those are my questions
Waiting to be answered.
Then it is over.
I did not die.
But will that always be true?