HOW LONG CAN IT LAST?

How many times can you

brush your teeth, make a bed,

rub toes and noses together,

toast a bagel and brew a cup

of Constant Comment tea

before you get whacked

in an uncertain world.

The heart, a lonely pump,

with no guarantee.

Rivulets of blood

clogged with debris,

ennui becomes

an everyday friend,

lifelong pals fade away.

Prosperity here today

and gone tomorrow.

Unexpected illness

and accidents lurk

around the corner.

Dreaming and scheming

to survive. Whipsawing change,

from one day to the next,

the only thing you can count on.

Breathe deeply, one breath at a time.