the color orange, and other things twisted by chronic illness

orange

i like orange

in sunsets, 

in fruit.

but orange is so quickly ruined for me

when i see it in plastic cylinders

with their white labels

with their warnings

drowsiness

weight gain

weight loss.

they promise fixes to my pain

but they lie.

the pills are empty.

they don't help.

but what if the next bottle does?

the doctor asks.

and so the label changes.

so do the warnings.

but that orange plastic

it stays.

and the promises

aren't kept.

i am tired

of pain

of empty promises about fixes

of warnings

of labels.

but mostly

i am tired

of the orange plastic cylinders.