Writer Elspeth Jensen highlights the many instructions we are confronted with when taking medications in her Bellevue Literary Review prose poem “May Cause.” Jensen’s poem accelerates throughout and hints at the absurdity of all we are told to do, not to do, of all we are advised to avoid, to look out for: “Use care when operating a vehicle, vessel, boat, until you become familiar with blurred vision, symptoms worsening, fear, or sadness.” Jensen repeats “do not” six times in this short poem. The reader, as the patient, feels the anxiety evoked by the many stipulations of being medicated.

Writing Prompt: Think of the last time you read the instructions given to you with your medication. Perhaps you still have one in your medicine cabinet. Take it out and read it in full. How many times are you told “do not?” Is anything confusing? Humorous? Did you adhere to the instructions? Why or why not? Write for ten minutes.