or

the human condition

I drink a cup of coffee
smoke a cigarette.
I know they will both give me cancer
if dioxins, toxins
or maybe my moccasins
don't kill me first
or if I don't get blown away
over a Big Mac and fries
or shot for $5.00 and
my maxed out credit cards
or hit by a happy hour drunk
in a shiny new car
or maybe by a disease from a lover
whose had too many others before
what the hell, I say
the weatherman just told me
there's a tornado coming my way.

Reviews

[John Alexander McFadyen]

A semi humorous piece about all the health scare stuff and the risks of everyday living, topped off by what nature also offers when the Gods are disquieted. Fourth line I might have done slightly differently:
if dioxins or toxins,
or maybe my moccasins
don't kill me first.
or if I don't get blown away

Only my ramblings mind you lol!

[Lyn Anderson]

I took it under advisement, and changed it with my own flare, of course - thanks - mostly only you and a handful of others post helpful suggestions - I might not change it to exactly what you envision, but it prompts me to give it a second look. Thank you.

[barleygirl]

I love this one! It goes to the basis of my philosophy about "bad" habits. I have a few, but not too bad, all things considered. Besides, those times in life when I was being ultra "good", I had an equal amount of tough times in life . . . so why deprive ourselves when we might die from any number of risks out there? I like the way this sounds like there are tons of things waiting to ambush us & I love the examples you choose & the way you express them. Since this was written a few years ago, it's grown even more pertinent with the possibility of being blown away by some disgruntled terrorist.

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks. This is, in fact, one of my oldest poems I have posted. Around 1986 was the original. It has been published in a couple literary journals. The more things change the more they stay the same, or so they say.

[barleygirl]

Very admirable about being published in literary journals . . . that's always been my dream.

[Lyn Anderson]

It takes a strong constitution is all. Paper the wall with rejection slips, eventually something you believe in wins.

[Kai Rollins]

At least there'll be an ending ^_^ tornado.

But if you've got one life anyway. Do what you want

[Neville]

You know sumpfink, I reckon we share a cerebral hemisphere. What a delightful read and thanks for reminding me to keep my head down. Go check out my 'Influential Buttons' poem when time permits. I now feel I understand more fully some of your earlier comments that you made re some of my work....

Yep I liked this one as well.. Nev

[Lydia Shutter]

Dark humor with more than a bit of tongue in cheek. Today we are told coffee will kill us...tomorrow it is good for our blood cells or some such thing. Eating eggs? Some people say it is the reason they live to be 100. Others say the arteries clog from them. We can not be afraid of living, can we? What good is living if we have to be afraid every second of where we walk, with whom we speak, or what we put in our mouths? Life is full of pitfalls. Enjoy while you can! I enjoyed this poem! Lydi**

[Laura Harrison]

There's not really much else that I can say about this poem because everyone else has beat me to it! But it's excellent and it made me smile :)

[Lyn Anderson]

Very kind. I get so tired of it all - is coffee going to kill me or not? Is red wine going to help or hurt me? In the end, I will slip in the tub and wonder why the hell I am at the pearly gates.

[Sami Khalil]

Whimsical but so true about the fragility of everything in life. You have penned a great one...:).......................

[MichaelsLyric.com]

This is funny and profound, at the same time. Because take away all the "bad" things, and what do we have? Great write. Thank you for writing.