slipping unnoticed
past the giant door
opening and closing like clockwork
travelling en masse
away from the center
void of life giving oxygen
making the dangerous trip
though miles of tunnels
only to try and pick up another load
from the lungs
and drop it in the brain and heart –
escaping the chest cavity
the right arm becomes my journey
what looks to be just a couple feet
up and back
in reality is hundreds of inches
passing scar tissue
and trusting that the varicose
with not make a prisoner…
all of the sudden the crowd slows
from break neck speed to a slow crawl
once again this ******* has brought
foreign bodies into the parade
giving each of us an extra load to carry
one that damages our structure
while slowing our travel –
the needle falls to the floor
as another overdose victim
waits to be found
blood rests in veins
clotted and coagulated
wishing only to make another trip around the horn –