Lithium

by A.M. Broadous
October 2021

Every morning, I feel a spark in
tiny capsules chattering in
translucent orange plastic.

Supercharge me
or just charge me
like a wind-up mouse.

I’ll stop. Start me up again.
Day by day, my body submits to
this cycle of anodes, one

capped compound to always
replace the other. Batteries not
included. That’s why God

made the pharmacy.
With a gulp of rounded static,
I am learning my

first steps. Tomorrow, I will
forget, but lightning in a bottle
will jump-start the system.

Somewhere in the dark,
the mind shouts—

Clear!