by Dustin Brookshire

I’ve lost track of how many times I wash my hands
each day. Twenty seconds here. Twenty there. 
I’ve given up on making any plans,

except to order lotion. My dry skin demands 
Aveeno for water’s wear and tear.
I don’t know how many times I’ve washed my hands.  

Daily nightmares about COVID span 
across all I touch—doorknob, light switch, chair. 
I’ve given up on making any plans. 

No happy hour or Cher concert. No weekend in Cannes. 
No pedicures or massages. Limited options for self-care! 
How many times have I washed my hands?

My parents attend Church again. God demands
in-person attendance for the Lord’s prayer.  
I’ve given up on making any plans.

I share CDC data, but they’re Fox News fans.                                                          
The death count grows.  I stand at my sink and stare.  
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve washed my hands
praying that I won’t have to make funeral plans.

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Dustin Brookshire, a finalist for the 2021 Scotti Merrill Award, is the curator of the Wild & Precious Life Series, editor of Limp Wrist, and  author of two chapbooks—Love Most Of You Too (Harbor Editions, 2021) and To The One Who Raped Me (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2012).  Visit Dustin online at www.dustinbrookshire.com.