Zidovudine

I thought zidovudine was a cool word

until I learned it was AZT (C₁₀H₁₃N₅O₄),

a drug so many took while dying.

When I was young, Gay Poetry was AIDS

Poetry and AIDS meant death. Who knew

a community could be so lonely? My friends

and I joke how Shame is more interesting

than Pride. I guess if you don’t laugh, you’ll blah

blah blah. Lately, I get bored with my brain,

don’t feel like finishing sentences. Beyoncé

released a new song today. I don’t like it. I don’t

hate it, but I wanted to love it and I’m not sure

if I’ll play it in the car. She says over and over,

you won’t break my soul, you won’t break my—