Grave Concerns

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr

 

Grave Concerns

Remember when you’d suffer
through a headache,
rather than take aspirin?

Then came Tylenol tampering.
Another reason to avoid pills.
What would you need with pills?

And winded? Not likely.
You were running
almost every night of the week.

And busy. Always busy.
With any luck, you weren’t
racing towards an early grave.

But long you’ve lived. So far. And tears?
Yeah, a few, but you’ve outlived a few more,
even if you still wonder about that early grave.

So what’s in that drawer?
Right. Meds, pharmacy receipts,
and a pill dispenser that’s now too small.

There’s that pill for blood pressure,
one for the legs that won’t stop moving late
in the day, restless for that gummy to help you sleep.

There’s antihistamines and decongestants.
Oh, and at least three supplements
plus baby aspirin, but you’re nobody’s baby.

You have more doctors’ appointments
than you can count, but you still count.
You’re still here, after all.

You may get winded climbing stairs,
but you get where you’re going.
Oh yeah. Don’t forget to go to the pharmacy.

This poem is my response to Day 10 at napowrimo.net, which challenges us to write a poem after taking notes on a favorite songs and notes on what we find in a “junk drawer.” “Breathe,” from Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd has been a favorite for nearly fifty years.

    Breathe
(Pink Floyd)

Breathe, breathe in the air
Don’t be afraid to care
Leave, don’t leave me
Look around, choose your own ground

Grave ConcernsLong you live and high you fly
Smiles you’ll give and tears you’ll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be

Run, rabbit, run
Dig that hole, forget the sun
When at last the work is done
Don’t sit down, it’s time to dig another one

Long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
Balanced on the biggest wave
Race towards an early grave

Image source: vecteezy.com

 

NaPoWriMo 2021

~ Day 10 ~

 

24 thoughts on “Grave Concerns”

    • The same for me, with my parents. Oh, well.

      I’m terrible at naming favorite songs, but I recently resurrected my old turntable (my latest home theater receiver has a phono input), and I had just played that album. It was a nice reminder.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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