“How Can I Help You?”

She’s sitting there
All nerves exposed
Among the rivulets of blood
That panic beneath the skin
With an automaton brain
That’s set to anxiety mode
Sparking, to set jet black hair
Alight with a paranoid imagination
And, “How can I help you?”
“How can I help you?”
“How can I help you?”
An automated recording
With message received
She’ll get back to you
… ASAP

Piggy-tail phone cord
Wrapped around her neck
Cracked keys typing
The same message
Over and over
“How can I help you?
“How can I help you?
“How can I help you?
Cracked nails bleeding
Screeching down a blackboard
Trigger signals shutting down
The room and corridors
That used to hold
The precious “her”
Before the loving conditioning
And clockwork answer-phone
They installed in her head
Imbedded with…
“How can I help you?”
With Hall-Mark Card answers
So she’ll never disappoint

And it’s all…
“How can I help you?”
“How can I help you?”
“How can I help you?”
Exploding and imploding
Chemical fireworks lighting
The serotonin on fire
And she’s trying to say
“Someone help me!”…
While her mouth’s still forming
“How can I help you?”
On repeat
With the blinds drawn
And lights off.
She’ll get back you
… ASAP

© Indie Adams 2012