Love is not a profession
genteel or otherwise
sex is not dentistry
the slick filling of aches and cavities
you are not my doctor
you are not my cure,
nobody has that
power, you are merely a fellow/traveller
Give up this medical concern,
buttoned, attentive,
permit yourself anger
and permit me mine
which needs neither
your approval nor your suprise
which does not need to be made legal
which is not against a disease
but agaist you,
which does not need to be understood
or washed or cauterized,
which needs instead
to be said and said.
Permit me the present tense.
(Margaret Atwood)
More Poetry from Margaret Atwood:
Margaret Atwood Poems based on Topics: Love, Power, Work & Career, Present, Sex, Medicine & Medical- Provisions (Margaret Atwood Poem)
- The Shadow Voice (Margaret Atwood Poem)
- The Landlady (Margaret Atwood Poem)
- Sekhmet, the Lion-headed Goddess of War (Margaret Atwood Poem)
- Backdropp Addresses Cowboy (Margaret Atwood Poem)
- The City Planners (Margaret Atwood Poem)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Power Poems, Work & Career Poems, Present Poems, Medicine & Medical Poems, Sex PoemsBased on Keywords: against, give, merely, needs, need, nobody, does, filling, cure, said, instead