Lungs
Sleep apnea
Means that
She stops breathing while asleep.
A short, unnoticed interval
Of near-death.
Imagine
Being that close to death
And not noticing.
And in the mornings
She drags herself out of bed;
So tired–
But without a true explanation
There is no reason to rest;
Not when there is so much to do–
Imagine
Being that experienced in death
And not being aware.
When she finally
Goes to the doctor,
He asks
If she smokes,
And–
Well–
Of course she does.
Its not like she hasn't tried to stop,
She tells him;
Its just that one cigarette less
Is like nuclear reactors being shut down in Germany
When Fukoshima was in Japan,
Or a billion trees being planted in Ethiopia
Just for the Amazon to catch on fire–
Imagine
Being so acclimatized to death that
Any effort for life seems wasted.
She will be monitored overnight;
Sensor attatched to her forehead like
A third eye;
Measuring oxygen and carbon dioxide
While she sleeps;
Counting
Missed breaths–
Imagine
Being so curled up in death
You can't help but carry it to your bed.
Her carbon dioxide levels are too high,
And when the nurse
Calls the doctor
So he can do a blood-gas analysis to confirm,
He tells her it's almost not worth bothering
"she's been on oxygen for years
It's only borrowed time"–
Imagine
Being so dependent on death that you breathe it,
Loaned air distending distressed airways,
filled to the brim so no one
thinks there's a point trying to save you.
Our world
Is in that bed,
Heaving through smoke charred lungs.
Do you believe in healing?
Imagine
Being so near to death
And doing nothing.