I bow to all the doctors
with their papery green uniforms
their tools and potions
but right now it’s the mathematicians
who soothe me with their numbers
so sterile and solid
because the stories that loop on the radio
are starting to choke me
so I bought toilet paper
like everyone else
but then I turned the radio down
except for the mathematician
I listen to him
with a determined faith
replacing the inky fear in my belly
with the calmness of his voice
like my daughter counting beads on a string
the numbers will climb
but he reminds me
that this string too
will end.