Monday, February 9, 2015

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

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