Imagine
by Robin and Louis S.

Imagine a boy whose skin peels off
when he moves.
Imagine the flurry, the
vacuum and sweeping,
after he visits your house.

Imagine explaining again and again,
"It's not contagious, and no there is nothing
 more we can do."

Then there's the itching, and sometimes
the cracking.  Ointments and creams till he's
sick of them all.

The nagging, the yelling,
the cringing, the crying.
You taunt him
until he cries.  This boy
goes home and cries.

He envies your freedom,
from ointments and creams,
from itching and cracking,
taunting and crying.

He feels pain, thinks others never do.
He shivers at the slightest breeze,
and begs you to close a window.

Imagine you cross
the street to avoid
those annoying flakes in his hair.

Imagine a boy whose skin peels off
when he moves.
Imagine the flurry, the
vacuum, and sweeping
after he visits your house.

He imagines
your perfect world.
It's ok to feel guilty,
to feel sad, and angry
knowing there's nothing more he can do.

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