The Mess

And you’re weak, and you’re frail,
And you’re malnourished, and
Yadda yadda, and this

Is the optimistic
Doctor saying these things,
Ticking off obstacles,

Tedious obstacles
That in your thoughts extend
To gross uncleanliness,

The deep greasiness
Of the long-distance sleeper,
The unkempt who can’t groom.

The darker doctors say
That we need to make sure
Of this before we try

That, of that before this.
Pessimistically
You’re a system flirting

With slow collapse to death.
Optimistically
You’re really just a mess.