A life-long observer of the human condition, Denise Perrin feels most connected to the human experience she longs to share when she is writing. She returned to Massachusetts in 2016 after nearly a decade overseas as an ex-patriot supporting her husband’s diplomatic career and raising her children. She resumed her job briefly as an attorney outside of Boston when she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer that launched her on a healing journey of intense inward reflection and an ultimate acceptance of things beyond her control.
She climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2018 anyway.
When she is not turning teenagers into well-adjusted, functioning adults or doling out hard-earned existential insights with a side of humor at her insanely fun job at Trader Joe’s, she works on her memoir which centers around her Kilimanjaro experience.
Dr. Wish
This could take you out in two years
-he said
Take me out where?
-I wondered
as the floor dropped into black expanse
and with it my heart
His words handed me a wand
Which I ingested
Disappearing everything that came before
Everything I “knew”
There is no dropping this wand,
for me.
No way to root or rut in sameness
Its magic cracking light into everything
There will be no out of this – no over
no cutting out
there are too many
no poisoning out
they don’t respond
no radiating out
it doesn’t work
There is no fighting – no goal of gone
no other side of this
Instead,
a shot – every 28 days – intramuscular
gluteal
In perpetuity
These, we try to slow down…or stop (if we’re lucky)
Indolence – a victory
Friendship with these hungry cells, I decided – my best option
For some, their wand is a confusing dowel
Reeking of fear – nauseous fury
Dust throated madness
Easily snapped and thrown
͠
I walked away from his words as mortal as I had walked towards them
But somehow now – double lifed – crystal eyed
Wide alive with this wand for seeing
Print and ebook Lesions Vol. 1 is out now.
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