according to the doctor

you should not be here
after all the good physician
a medical prodigy of sorts
what with his Hah-vuhd degrees
and sub subspecialty certificates
in fields I cannot spell
much less pronounce

is expert


no?

after all who am I
to doubt his veracity
his years of experience
cleaving ova studying the tea
leaves of temperature charts
concocting cocktails of chemicals
to inject into tender skin

who am i?

but a dried up old fruit
of a woman too young to die
or retire too old to eke out
an embryo viable past sixteen
cells a pinhead a lima bean an ounce.

but here you are my quarter
million dollar miracle
smiling at me & thumbing your nose
at god and all


***

Prompt: According ______


Peace, Linda