Love Poem: Cordolium
Angela Douglas Avatar
Written by: Angela Douglas

Cordolium

Perhaps you're apathetic to my ministrations
fatigued by my futile attempts at suturing 
the suppurating wounds inflicted by others 
who came before me much like those I suffer 
both of our spirits bearing similar scars
Upon removing the bandages to reveal 
they have not healed and rankle raw and red 
I turn my head not in disgust at the pus
but so you won’t see the tears I shed 
on account of my failure before binding them 
once again in clean linen after applying a balm 
of my best efforts that in spite of their sincerity 
will never be enough thus my own injuries 
I’ve clumsily dressed will continue to fester 
and decay without the catholicon physic 
of those three words you cannot say