Guess What

I’VE DROPPED MY DRAWERS

SO MUCH

THE LAST FEW YEARS

I’M STARTING TO THINK

IT’S MEDICAL JARGON

FOR HELLO

NOW I’VE HAD CATHETERS

STUCK UP MY DANGLING PARTICIPLE

TUBES POKED DOWN MY THROAT

THROUGH MY NOSE

CHEMICALS

POURED INTO ME

INTRAVENOUSLY

LENSES CHANGED IN MY EYES

METAL SCREEN FOR HERNIA

CAT SCANNED FOR CANCER

BUT NEVER

HAVE I SUFFERED THE IGNOMINY

THAT IS TO COME

I REALIZE

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN

IT’S PROBABLY ONLY AN ELEVEN

BUT IT’S HAPPENING TO ME

I’M HAVING A COLONOSCOPY

NOW PAUL HAS SAID

THAT GOD

HAS GIVEN GREATER HONOR

TO THE PARTS OF THE BODY

THAT LACKED IT

THAT IN GOD’S KINGDOM

THERE ARE NO INFERIOR PARTS

BY INFERENCE

THERE ARE NO THROWAWAY PEOPLE

THAT GOD GIVES DIGNITY

TO THOSE WHO MOST NEED IT

AND IN A REAL WAY

WHAT WE DO TO THE LEAST OF OUR BRETHREN

THAT WE DO UNTO HIM

SO I SAID TO THE DOCTOR

DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW

WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING

HE DIDN’T SMILE

I GUESS HE’D HEARD IT BEFORE

FRANK VOLLMER