poem of the day 02.09.15

cancer is everywhere

it’s on the billboards on the subway cars

on billboards on the highway

this morning i was flipping through the stations

and at least three channels had cancer

the mailman has it but he’s still doing his job

the deli clerk and the bartender have cancer too

cancer just walked by me in the grocery store

and didn’t even bother to say hi

there’s cancer in the airport sucking down another drink

before she has to get on board a transatlantic flight

there’s cancer in the ocean

or in the bottom of the sea

the news anchor has cancer but she’s still smiling

and so does my favorite writer in my favorite book

my dad has it, her mom has it, your aunt has it

and even his wife got it too

there’s cancer in all of us just waiting to rise and shine

there’s a cancer in afghanistan called the u.s.a.

cancer in the gaza strip

that van gogh painting has some cancer

although its non-aggressive nor insane

i think i heard some cancer swirling around

beethoven’s third and mahler’s fifth

there’s cancer in the air

cancer in the trees

they say the food you eat will give you cancer one day too

cancer in a soda pop and fried chicken

cancer in the crumbs in your car

dogs are shitting cancer on the sidewalk

some kid just stepped in it and now he has cancer too

there’s cancer up in central park

having a picnic and throwing frisbee on the great lawn

cancer in the movie theater taking in a blockbuster flick

cancer in beer

cancer in wine

cancer in those pills we’re all stuck sucking down

there’s cancer in the stars

cancer in the lines of shakespeare

they found cancer in my love

and i just want the doctors to get it out

but there will still be cancer lingering everywhere

cancer in the grass

cancer in the water that we drink

cancer in the waiting room and in your home

cancer sitting in your favorite chair having a smoke

there’s cancer in your bed

shaking you when you’re trying to sleep

cancer keeping you up at night

cancer keeping you scared

there’s cancer in your soul

and it’s yapping at you

cancer like the bark of the rabid dog

just across the cancer in the cancer street.

                                                            08.08.14