HIV

A dirty needle, a dismissed condom
that ties me to my fate.
At any rate
here we are, our numbers growing.
Did I throw it all away for one night
to forever be feared
and seen as a question.
Could a cold be the end of me?
Will I always be questioning my end
or should I see it as an awakening?
An awakening to wear my red ribbon
to remind people to take care
to be aware that life is not
business as usual.
Would that be so unusual?
To have today as both routine and novel.
To whisper my hope for tomorrow to an
awesome sunset. The clouds catching my radiant light
sure to keep my secrets and tomorrows sun welcoming me
to ‘morrows morn’.

--Written in first person for effect. I wrote this because a positive friend asked me to write a poem about HIV and make sure to mention the red ribbon.