Jon Bennet

Scaling Down

When you’re a fat man
every meal
is a sin

I walk past a restaurant
and someone is eating
chicken and waffles
or fettucine alfredo
and they’re thin!

How is it possible?
My knees are splitting
like old oak
I can’t breathe
without the aid
of pumps and hoses

I go to the doctor
and stand on the scale

“Doctor, Jesus, look!” I say
and I tear at my clothes
and rip at my hair
such is my grief

But my doctor is wise,
“Stay away from scales,”
he says,
“you’ll live longer.”