Snake Oil

A large fold of skin—I think,    It's swelling—

but the doctor sees no inflammation—no    one explained how I'd grow

old—no one told me how the skin's    loss of elasticity would show

on my fingers, my mons pubis,    the abdomen, at the bend of the arm—

this thin skin has new meaning    and soon I can't leave my house

without foundation—every scar, every sun    spot rises to the surface, the skin

uneven, the face a landmine—I can    feel the changes, the shift in fat

distribution, the uncertain bones, and could it all be    hormones?—the doctor says it's normal,

but I want my old body back, strong, sleek …    fingers tapered, even if it takes

snake oil.